


souhait accordé cycle 3

by littlemsmessy, ndnickerson



Series: souhait accordé [5]
Category: Nancy Drew - Carolyn Keene
Genre: Angst, Blindfolds, Bondage, Butt Plugs, Coitus Interruptus, Comfort Sex, Cunnilingus, Dom/sub, Drunk Sex, Drunken Confessions, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Foot Fetish, Hurt/Comfort, Jealousy, Karaoke, Kitchen Sex, Light BDSM, Light Bondage, Married Couple, Married Sex, Movie Theater Sex, Oral Sex, Peril, Prostate Massage, Public Display of Affection, Public Nudity, Public Sex, Resolved Sexual Tension, Reunions, Roleplay, Separations, Sex Toys, Sexual Experimentation, Travel, Unrequited Lust, Vacation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-04-18
Updated: 2012-07-11
Packaged: 2017-11-03 21:37:28
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 131,818
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/386233
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/littlemsmessy/pseuds/littlemsmessy, https://archiveofourown.org/users/ndnickerson/pseuds/ndnickerson
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nancy and Ned's relationship is tested by a choice.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

_Break a leg, sweetheart!_

Ned smiled down at his cell phone, making sure it was set to silent before he put it away. He smoothed his palm over his tie, ran the tips of his fingers down his lapel, and sat back.

_Just relax. Just relax._

He imagined Nancy saying that to him. Doubtless if she were here, she would be telling him to relax. He imagined her behind him, kneading his shoulders. Imagined her breath warm on his ear as she murmured, "Just be yourself. They'll love you."

But then he started imagining what she was wearing, and he had to stop thinking about it, because he really didn't need to walk into the interview with a hard-on. Especially since his wife was three states away.

"Mr. Nickerson?" The secretary glanced up, giving him a smile. "They're ready for you."

Ned stood up, buttoned his jacket, and walked into the inner office.

"Ned!" Jerry Peterson stood up, extending his hand. "And how are you?"

"Very well," Ned said, giving his hand a hearty shake as he unbuttoned his jacket one-handed. It always struck him as slightly ludicrous, buttoning his jacket just to walk four feet before he unbuttoned it again, but at least it gave him something to do.

Peterson gestured to his left. "This is Lyndsey Trent."

"Pleased to meet you," Ned said, extending his hand to her as well. While her smile was warm, her gaze was frankly speculative, sizing him up. Her dark hair was pulled back into a no-nonsense twist and she had a fantastic body, under her tight skirt and red blouse. Ned felt a surge of interest—remembering when Nancy had worn similar outfits. Just the thought of his wife in a pencil skirt was enough to send him perilously close to a spontaneous erection.

Once the three of them were seated, Peterson took the lead. He went over Ned's record, noting his accomplishments, and Lyndsey jotted down a few notes herself.

"You know the reason we called you in today," Peterson said with a smile. All the smiles were making Ned feel pretty optimistic. "And you're an excellent candidate for the position, no doubt about that.

"There's something... else, that we want to discuss with you."

Ned raised his eyebrows.

"As of..." Peterson glanced at his watch. "As of about thirty seconds ago, corporate has posted an opening for another position. What we're here to ask you today is whether you're interested, because, Ned... this would be big. _Huge._ "

Ned shifted forward in his seat. "And you want to submit my application for consideration?"

Peterson nodded. "With your approval, of course. Now, Ms. Trent is here to explain the finer details..."

Peterson tilted his head, and Ned nodded as she sat forward.

"What I need to know, Mr. Nickerson, is if you're in this for the long term."

"Definitely," Ned replied.

She smiled. "Good."

\--

Ned stared at his phone for a good twenty minutes before he decided and took a cab to O'Hare.

He just couldn't do it over the phone.

And he missed his wife.

He knew the name of her hotel—that was part of their routine: the name of the hotel where she would be staying, the name she would be registered under, a rough idea of her plans—and the cabbie fought his way through the end-of-day traffic to get him there. He walked in, conspicuous with his lack of luggage, and approached the receptionist's desk.

"Hi," he said, with a charming grin. "I just happened to be in town and I wanted to surprise my wife, but I don't know her room number."

The clerk glanced up at him, a perfunctory smile on her face. "Name?"

Ned gave her the name Nancy was staying under, but when she called the room, no one answered. "Sorry," she said, with a shrug. "She's not in right now. You can wait in the lobby."

Ned glanced at his watch. She was probably out at dinner, and Ned's stomach was growling anyway. He gave the clerk a distracted thanks as he pulled his cell phone out, activating the locator on his phone.

A stop at a convenience store and twenty minutes later, his hunger pangs barely satisfied by an overpriced pack of peanuts, Ned was standing on the sidewalk in front of Petrillo. The restaurant's interior was dim, tastefully decorated, the kind of place he would take Nancy on an anniversary dinner.

And, if he approached Nancy while she was with a mark or a client, he could totally blow her cover.

The hostess waved him over to the bar with a smile, and Ned took a stool near the end. He knew he should go back to the hotel and wait for her, but he was going to have to fly back to Chicago tonight, and he just needed a minute—or thirty—alone with her.

He glanced around, waiting for the bartender to notice him. The restaurant was quiet, relatively tourist-free—Ned didn't spot any Hawaiian shirts or chalked-in specials—and he didn't see his wife.

"What'll you have?"

Ned ordered a beer. He finished half of it before he couldn't wait any longer.

Once he found her, in an intimate corner of the dining room, he couldn't look away from her. She wore a blue satin dress and her hair was up, and he studied the graceful curve of her neck, the flutter of her lashes.

He had just turned his attention to her companion when she glanced up, and immediately his gaze was pulled back to her. Her entire face lit up with a smile, and he returned it instantly. "Ned!" she said, beckoning him. "Oh my God, you're here! Is everything okay?"

She rose when he reached the table, and he drew her into his arms for a tight hug, closing his eyes. _Shit._ Her perfume. God, how he had missed her.

"Everything's okay now," he murmured, before he pulled back.

"Have you had dinner?"

"Nice to see you again, Ned."

Ned glanced over and felt his stomach clench, the way it always did when he heard that voice, when he saw that face.

Frank Hardy. Frank fucking Hardy.

He felt awful, thinking it, feeling it, but for God's sake, for fucking _years_ Hardy had been _there_ , inviting Nancy on cases, making out with her and then agreeing that they should just act like nothing had happened. He had hated Frank on Nancy's behalf, but hated him even more on his own. If Frank had ever declared himself as a rival, Ned would have known what to do. Instead, the younger man had tried to steal Nancy right from under Ned's nose, so subtly that he thought Ned would never notice.

At least, that was the way Ned had thought about him, since the night Nancy had gotten way too drunk and told him about their past, after the point that common sense and sobriety would have told her to stop talking. It was all stolen kisses and feigned guilt, with him, and once Ned had heard it all, he had lost all respect for the man. Coward. Ned had put absolutely everything on the line for Nancy more than once, and he would unhesitatingly do so again. Frank hadn't.

Fucking Frank Hardy.

Ned wiped every trace of what he was thinking off his face and shook the hand Frank was offering. "Same to you," he said with a smile.

"Frank was just asking me for a huge favor," Nancy said, taking a sip of her wine. She reached for Ned's hand.

She knew how he felt. She knew. Her fingers gently stroked his, reassuringly.

"Would you care for another bottle?" the waiter asked with a smile, as he approached. "And you have a guest...?"

Nancy switched to water, and Ned placed an order. Once the waiter was gone, Ned glanced from his wife to Frank.

"So, a huge favor?" Ned managed to keep the sarcasm and the suspicion out of his voice; he wasn't sure how.

Frank cast a surreptitious glance around the room. "Network has a security breach," he explained quietly. "A free agent we only know by the code name Onyx has been collecting information on higher-ups in a lot of agencies, including Network, and using that information as leverage to trade in secrets. My boss believes that he's after the database—the main database containing all the information about agents, subcontractors, missions. And there's no end of people, governments, terrorist organizations who would pay to get their hands on that information. Especially if it meant a chance at retaliation."

Nancy caught a drop of condensation from her water glass on the tip of her finger. "My name's in that database," she said, even more quietly than Frank. "There have been a few... assignments. Some very angry people."

"And you want Nancy to help track this guy down."

Frank shrugged. "She's good," he said, easily. "And we need someone who can think outside the box."

Nancy and Frank lapsed into what Ned had termed mission-speak before their entrees arrived. When Frank asked her, point-blank, if she could give them any assistance, she said she would do all she could to help. Then she glanced over at Ned, and her knee brushed his under the tablecloth.

The waiter arrived to ask if their meal was satisfactory, and Frank handed over his credit card. "I have a flight," he explained, apologetically, and even though Ned insisted that he would pay for his and Nancy's meal, Frank waved him off. Frank signed the bill with a flourish, and had barely swallowed the last bite of his meal when he stood.

"Ned."

"Frank," Ned said evenly, shaking his hand again.

"Nancy. Always a pleasure." Frank leaned down and brushed his lips against Nancy's cheek, and she smiled when he pulled back. "I'll be in touch."

"Be careful," she admonished him, sending him off with a smile.

As soon as Ned was sure that Frank was actually gone, he let out a long breath and sat back. "So. Hardy."

"I didn't come here just to meet him," Nancy told her husband. "This was just when our schedules worked out."

Ned nodded. "Okay."

She patted his hand. "You _say_ okay, but your eyes..."

Ned sighed. "I... I'm sorry. I've had a long day."

"And, while I love seeing you... why on earth are you in New York?"

"Because I needed to talk to you."

Nancy lifted her water glass with both hands, and Ned noticed that her fingers were shaking just a little. "Oh? We need to have a talk?"

"But not here." Ned glanced down at the remains of his plate. It had been a long time since he was in competition with Hardy, and he had really been trying to work on the insane jealousy he felt whenever he saw the younger man, but it still got under his skin that Hardy had paid for his wife's meal. That Hardy had been alone with her.

He trusted her. He _did_ trust her. He just didn't, no matter how hard he tried, trust _Hardy_ with her.

The cab ride back to her hotel was short. She kept stroking the fabric of her dress over her knee, almost absently. "Is this... a good talk?" she asked.

"I... I don't know," he admitted.

She gave him a nervous smile. "You know that's not helping my stress level at all, right?"

Ned shrugged. "Mine's pretty high," he admitted.

Once they walked into her room together, she reached behind her and unfastened her dress, then lifted it off. Under the knee-length sheath, she wore a plain black strapless bra and black cotton briefs. Ned was irrationally glad to see that she hadn't worn her good lingerie to see Hardy. She walked into the bathroom, partially closing the door behind her, and he heard her washing up.

It was strange, to see her like this. Ned couldn't remember the last time he had accompanied Nancy on a case, had seen her gain the confidence of a mark or light up with a new clue. He knew the woman he was married to, but this version of her was almost unfamiliar now.

She walked back in and her hair was up in a messy ponytail, her face scrubbed free of makeup. She rummaged around in her suitcase and put on one of his old undershirts, full of holes and washed almost transparent, then took her bra off.

"That's another thing we never did," he mused aloud.

"What?" she asked, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

"Back when you were on a case and we were staying in the same hotel, and I would want to come back with you, follow you to your room, peel whatever flimsy underwear you were wearing off..."

Nancy glanced down at her outfit with a lopsided smile. "Sorry. Wasn't expecting you, or I would've packed the French maid outfit."

"Hey, I'm just glad you weren't wearing your good stuff tonight."

"Oh?" Nancy tilted her head, and then narrowed her eyes. "Why waste it when there was absolutely no way anyone was going to see it?"

"Yeah." He sat down beside her. Her nipples were stiff, visible through the fabric. He forced his gaze up to her face. "I'm sorry."

She touched his cheek. "I was going to tell you about it tonight when I called. It's just a favor."

Ned searched her eyes, then moved back a little. "You knew you were gonna meet up with him before you left."

"It was a possibility." Her gaze dropped.

"That's why you were acting—"

"Shit. I thought I was acting normal."

"You were. Almost."

They were both quiet for a minute. "I'm sorry. I should've told you."

"Yeah, you should have." Ned sighed.

Nancy tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "So... now, makeup sex?"

Ned chuckled. "You think _that_ was a fight?"

"No, but... the talk?"

"I didn't come here to talk about Frank Hardy." Ned snorted. "I've talked enough about that guy for a lifetime.

"I went in today about the job—"

Nancy sat up straighter, and put her hand on his knee. Her blue eyes were bright. She knew how much it meant to him.

"And my boss told me he wants to submit my application and resumé for another position. A better position."

"That's great!" she told him, sliding her arms around him, and Ned savored the feel of her breasts against his chest, through their shirts. "It's for consideration, but I'm sure you'll get it. You're amazing. That place would burn to the ground if not for you."

Ned chuckled, pushing her back gently so he could see her face. "That's not... Nan, they told me more about it, and—it's out of the Los Angeles office."

Slowly the smile faded from Nancy's face, even though he could see that she was trying to keep it there. "Oh," she said softly.

"Yeah," he replied. "I would have to spend at least four workdays a week there, sometimes five. And—Nan, if I take it, I am _so much_ closer to the VP position. So much more than the other job."

"Oh," she said again, and glanced down at her hands. "What... what would happen to us?"

"Nothing would happen to _us_ ," he told her, reaching for her hands. Her fingers felt cold. "I would be home on the weekends. And, considering how much you travel for work—"

"Considering how much I travel we'd never fucking _see_ each other," she said, pushing herself to her feet. She crossed her arms over her belly, her chin down. "Los Angeles?"

Ned stood, sighing as he watched her pace. "Look, I know it would be hard. I _know_. And if you tell me that you don't want me to do it, I won't."

"You're going to put it in my hands?" she said incredulously, glancing up at him. She was clearly agitated.

Ned shrugged. "You're more important to me, than that," he said simply. "It's work. If I need to find another job, for whatever reason, I can do that. But I can't find another _you_. So, yeah... I want you to tell me the truth. I asked if I could let them know in a week, so we have time. Plus," he said, and chuckled, "we're talking about me putting my _application_ in for it, not accepting an offer. It could be that all this is moot."

Nancy waved her hand in the air, pacing a little again. "Oh, baby, you'd get it. You know you would. There's no way anyone could possibly compete with you."

Ned reached for her hand and drew her to him. "And there's no way anyone could possibly compete with _you_ ," he told her, gazing up at her. "What are you thinking?"

She cupped his face in her hands, her expression solemn, then shook her head a little. "I... I don't know, yet. It's a lot, you know?"

"Yeah."

She leaned down until their foreheads were touching, and closed her eyes. "I wish you'd just say it. Just tell me what to say."

"That's more than you did back there."

When Nancy pulled back, her hands dropping to her sides, Ned was already shaking his head. "I'm sorry."

She rubbed her temple, stroked her fingertips down the line of her jaw. "I've been—I don't know. For so long it seemed like you hated that part of my life that I—I don't think about you when it comes to that. To cases, to my work." She grimaced.

"I'm not begrudging that."

She sat down beside him on the bed. "But, don't—please don't—start like that..."

Ned ran his fingers through his hair. "I'm not. I swear to God, I'm not. It's just something about Hardy..."

Nancy looked over at him. "Baby... we've talked about it."

"I know we have. I know. And I trust you. I just don't trust _him_ around you."

Nancy bounced her palm against her knee a few times, then pulled herself up. She swung over his lap, straddling him, sliding her arms around his shoulders. "You're pretty fucking hot when you're jealous, Nickerson," she told him, with a slow smile. "Don't get me wrong, most of me is totally indignant, outraged, et cetera, but, _God_ , the look you get when you're around him..."

"You mean the look I have whenever you're within twenty feet of him."

"Yeah," she drawled, tilting her head. "Baby..."

Ned grabbed her hips to swing her off him, but paused. "Nan..."

She tilted her head. "It's my name too, babe," she murmured. "And it's _Frank_. He's harmless. Especially because I know what's waiting for me when I come home," she said, and pressed her hips firmly to his.

Then a shadow passed over her face. If he got the promotion, he _wouldn't_ be waiting for her when she came home.

Ned muttered a curse under his breath. "Babe, don't get me wrong, there's nothing more I want than to get inside you right now, but I have to get back."

Nancy's mouth dropped open. "You can't be serious."

"I am," he said reluctantly. "And you and I both know that if we take this any further..."

Nancy snorted. "I'm sorry. We've gone from zero to a hundred in ninety seconds before, and you're the one saying you need to catch a _flight_? Instead of arguing about Frank we could have been ripping each other's clothes off."

Ned glanced down at her breasts, then up at her face, and the satisfied smile he saw there made him want to kiss it off. He took a breath.

"I've missed you," she said, softly, and leaned forward.

She brushed her lips against his and then he crushed his mouth to hers, reaching for the hem of her top. He pulled it off and let his hands drift down her slender waist, the line of her spine, to the waistband of her briefs as they kissed again.

Would they still have lazy Saturday mornings spent entirely in bed, tracing the familiar curves of each other's bodies, drowsed with drink from the night before? Nights with friends, weekday lunches together? God, when they were apart he craved her like air.

And that made it all the sweeter, drove his desire for her to almost painful heights. She pushed his jacket off and he latched onto her breast, provoking a small moan. He gently bit her nipple and his hips were already rocking in anticipation under hers. He'd be lucky if he was fully inside her before he lost control of himself—but God, he loved the feel of her coming around him too much to do that.

That was when her cell phone rang.

Nancy let out a long groaned bit of profanity, and Ned pulled back, releasing her. She scrambled off him, clad only in her black panties, and dug around in her purse. Ned had to take a few deep breaths to get himself back under control before he reached for his suit jacket.

"Yes... yes. Okay. Sure."

Ned stood up and Nancy glanced up at him, holding up one finger. "If you could hold the line for just a second," she told whoever was on the other end of the call, then made sure she pushed the mute button.

"You sure you don't want to stay and finish this?"

"More than anything," Ned admitted, and nodded at her phone. "But it sounds like you're in the middle of something..."

Nancy nodded reluctantly. "Do me a favor?"

"What?"

"Think about me when you're... relieving the tension, back home." She glanced down at her phone, finding the mute button again. "'Cause I'll be thinking about you."

\--

The house felt strange without her, that weekend. He went over to Mike's and they ended up having a party, and Ned drank way, way too much, until he was far too drunk to drive home. And she wasn't there waiting for him, anyway.

He would be back here on the weekends, of course he would, but generally one weekend of the month _she_ wasn't home. He would still be able to see his friends, his family. Of course he would.

He made himself not think about the long projects, the long nights, the emergency calls. The likelihood that the time would slip away from him, the way it did for her sometimes. The way a short, "three days, tops, I swear" case turned into a week.

Brook and Paul were in the city and someone texted them halfway through the party, and they came over to the general roar of things. Ned was drinking another beer, wishing that they had never told him about the fucking job, and the only thing that made the party _not_ feel like another night back at the Omega Chi house was the lack of bikini-clad women. Brook waved at Ned from across the room, and when she stopped to chat with a cluster of girls, Ned saw her hand drift down to cup her belly, and then the chorus of coos and squeals broke out.

Oh, Nancy. They had talked about it, agreed that now just wasn't the right time, but he wanted that one day, more than anything. He wanted his child to grow in her belly, wanted little sons or daughters with her eyes and his hair. But if he was in Los Angeles...

His children would have the best education money could buy, the best _everything_ money could buy, _if_ he was in Los Angeles.

_Fuck._ Ned took another drink. He still had time. And he didn't know what she was going to say yet. A small, mean-voiced part of him wished that she would say she didn't want him to go, just because he'd be able to turn it on her immediately. Hadn't he patiently waited at home for _her_ , all these years? What right did _she_ have, to say he couldn't do what she did all the time?

In Los Angeles he would be alone, save for those times she could get away to see him.

God, it felt like that awful time, close to his graduation, when he had been sure Nancy would turn his proposal down again, when he had so many prospects and offers. He could have gone back to Hong Kong. He could have taken jobs in New York or Los Angeles. But he wanted _her_ , and her work was based out of Chicago, and so this was where he would be, for her.

But she was his no matter where he was, no matter where she was. Even in New York, with Hardy inventing reasons to talk to her—Ned hated that a part of him wondered if Onyx existed at all—she was still _his._

Ned sighed when he was crashed in Mike's spare bedroom, the ceiling moving gently over him. _Shit. Shit, shit, shit._

Well, he promised himself one thing. If she said he should apply, if he got the job... he would have a fucking sex swing at his place in L.A., for her visits. That was for damn sure.

\--

_You better not be tired when I get home._

Ned glanced down at the message on his phone and chuckled. He had been late getting back from a lunch meeting, and had so little time left in the day that he had decided to punch out early. Besides, he had a stack of pizza boxes and a case of empty beer cans to get out of sight before his wife came home.

He keyed in, tugging down the knot of his tie, and shut the door behind him. She would be home soon. His skin was already faintly tingling at the thought.

He headed upstairs to their room to change into jeans and a t-shirt, but when he opened their bedroom door, he heard the blow dryer running. Her suitcase was on the foot of the bed.

He glanced up at the bathroom door, his eyes alight.

Then her phone rang, as Ned was finding a pair of relatively clean jeans. The blow dryer snapped off. "Hello?"

Ned didn't eavesdrop, not normally, not when he wasn't helping Nancy out with a case. Besides, he wasn't exactly hiding the fact that he was home—all she had to do was open the door.

"Yeah. He'll be home soon. It's a surprise." Nancy gave a wicked little laugh, one that made him cast a bemused glance at the bathroom door again.

"No," she sighed. "I don't know. I mean, it's a great opportunity. It really is. But I don't want him to go. That's selfish, right? ... I know, I know. Of course I know that. ... _Yeah._ I'm out of town so much already... But... Yeah. It would be glamorous, and when I have some time, to fly out there, some huge penthouse apartment, gorgeous view... Hee. Yeah. Because I _swear_ when I see him after I've been gone, it's like... Yeah. Amazing." She sighed again. "I don't know. Maybe he won't get it and I won't have to make up my mind... How the fuck do I say he can't do what I do? ... Yeah. And _yeah_. Ugh. ... Thanks. Yeah, I have to let you go too. I have to finish getting ready. ... It's a treat."

Ned tugged on a faded shirt and went back down to the living room, turning on the television. A treat. Hmm.

He got rid of the pizza boxes and the beer cans, then went to the fridge to see if he had finished off the last of the case—and saw the glass dildo on the shelf. Well, that definitely hadn't been in there when he had left in the morning.

Ned was already deep into the commentary about the upcoming games when Nancy walked out of their room. "That you, honey?" she called.

"Yeah," Ned said, taking a swig of his beer, a smile coloring his voice. "That _you_?"

"In the flesh," she confirmed. "I wanted to get home a little early and surprise you..."

"Sorry, I was trying to do the same thing."

She laughed. "Well, give me a couple of minutes, and then get your ass up here."

"Yes ma'am," Ned called back.

When he walked into their room, she stood at the foot of their bed, her hair in loose red-gold waves, one hand on her hip.

She was wearing the damned French maid costume. The top was miniscule, thin black mesh trimmed in white lace, and he could see her nipples, already erect, through it. The apron tied around her waist was just as sheer, and a little white lace cap was perched on her hair. But she wasn't wearing her stockings—she had a super-hot pair with a seam up the back that made him want to bend her over the closest table and fuck her senseless—or her stilettos. Her bare toenails were painted a shiny, wicked cherry-red, as were her fingernails.

"Mmm," Ned said approvingly, reaching for his shirt. She sauntered over to him and opened his jeans, pushing them down.

"If I ever ask you to remind me why I married you... just put that on."

"You mean you wouldn't just want a blowjob to remind you?"

Ned chuckled. "Yeah, I had no idea how awesome you'd be at that, when we got married."

"Good point." When he was naked, she slipped her arms around his shoulders, pressing herself tight against the length of his body, and pulled his face down to hers. "And if I ever ask you to remind me why I married _you..."_ She reached down and slowly stroked his erect cock. "Just stick out your tongue."

"Cheeky," Ned told her, laughing as he picked her up and carried her over to the bed. He let his hand drift over her ass, flipping up under the flimsy apron. " _Fuck_ ," he muttered, when he felt the line of the g-string she wore underneath.

"That was the idea," she said, her eyes sparkling. "Although... sit down, baby."

He sat down, watching her open their bedside drawer and pull out the lube. He leaned back against the headboard and she sat down on the bed, indian-style, at his feet. She popped open the lube and dusted her feet off before she slicked the lube over the sides and arches of her feet.

Ned raised his eyebrows. "Really?"

She nodded. "Yeah. I mean, if I do anything wrong..."

Ned waved his hand. "Fuck, babe."

She put the bottle back on the bedside table, then moved back between his parted legs, leaning back on the heels of her hands. Very gently she traced the side of her big toe up the length of his shaft, then brushed his balls. Ned's very short nails dug against the sheet.

Her blue eyes gleamed as she lined up the arch of her foot with his cock, then pressed her other foot to the other side, and Ned's head tipped back. Very, very slowly she stroked his cock with the sides of her feet, tight in her tentative grip, up and down. Ned's hips jerked and she took it a little faster, watching his face closely.

"Like this?"

He nodded, swallowing, then looked down at her feet as she used them on his cock. "God, baby, so hot," he urged her. "So good."

She chuckled, shaking her head a little, and moved faster. Ned groaned and she kept going, stroking him until he came with a choked cry.

She winced as she bent her knees, her thighs a little sore from the exertion. "Was that good, baby?"

"God yes," Ned said, his eyes still closed.

Nancy smiled, then scooted off the bed, moving carefully so she didn't slip on the floor. She scrubbed the lube off her feet, checking her reflection again, and when she opened the bathroom door, Ned was standing there. He turned on the tap.

"Your turn," he told her.

He cleaned himself off—he knew her, and there was no way she would want his cock in her after what she'd just done unless he did—and when he walked back in, she was sitting on the side of the bed. He took a detour to their drawer and put the toy he found beside her on the bed, then pulled her to her feet.

The top went first, and he could see the faint marks on her skin where the lace had irritated her, and he bit one breast as he reached down and untied the sheer apron, tossing it to the floor, leaving her only in the ridiculous little lace cap and a black satin g-string. He trailed small, gentle bites over both breasts, capturing her nipple to flick his tongue over the tip before he moved to the other, and when he pulled back she was moaning, her head tipped back.

"I want you dripping wet, baby," he said, his voice low and rough. " _Dripping_ wet. Get on the bed. No," he said, when he saw her reaching for the sides of her panties. "Leave those on."

She moved onto the bed, raising an eyebrow at him. "You rip these and we are going to the mall this weekend so you can buy me a fucking _case_ of them."

He chuckled and shook his head, and when he joined her on the bed, he gently parted her legs, urging her to bend her knees until she could touch the soles of her feet to each other. He leaned down and suckled against her breast again, cupping a hand between her thighs, and she arched up, grinding against him. His fingertip followed the fabric until it narrowed to a string between her legs, and he let out a low groan of approval. She was so hot... He resisted the urge to slip his finger up between her legs, and instead traced her inner thighs, gently.

"Ned," she groaned, and when he trailed his mouth back up, took her nipple in his teeth and tugged hard, she sucked in a surprised breath. He did the same to the other, as he reached for the toy, and when he pulled back he could see the marks he had left, flushed red against her pale skin.

"You want it?"

"Yes," she moaned, blinking lazily up at him, her hips moving very gently.

He peeled the g-string down in the front until he could see the slit of her sex, the button of her clit. He took the ribbed egg and gently rubbed it against her clit, and she arched, trembling, letting out a small whimper. He put the egg against her and then pulled her g-string back into place, as she rocked her hips, moaning at the sensation.

"Oh," she whispered.

"Yeah," he told her. "I think it'll work."

Then he grabbed her and moved onto the bed, stretching out on his back and pulling her over him, to straddle him. Immediately her hips moved down to press hard against his, and he felt the egg against his lower belly, through her panties, between them.

"Good?"

"Yeah," she breathed, raking her hair out of her face, and her lips curved up. Her legs were spread wide and she pushed herself up on the heels of her hands, giving herself leverage to rock against him.

Then Ned followed the cord coming out of her panties, to the remote control.

He started on a low setting, and the weak vibration against his abs made his cock stir a little. For Nancy, the reaction was more immediate. She let out her breath in a sigh, grinding her hips, angling to stroke her clit against the vibrating egg. He kicked it up a little more, a little more, watching her face, and with the next stroke of his thumb against the remote, a flush came to her cheeks, and she let out a low, incredibly sexy moan. "Yes," she sighed, angling her hips, rocking against him a little harder.

Then, with no warning, he kicked it up to its highest vibration, and she screamed, trembling, her hips rocking urgently against his. "Oh my God, oh my _God,_ " she cried, her voice rising to a squeal at the end. She became incoherent, begging, pleading with him, her skin becoming slick, as she used his hips to hold the vibrator in place while she stroked her clit against it. They had tried, other times, to keep the thing in place; with her legs spread, the weight of her body keeping it pressed to him, she seemed to have no problem getting off on it.

"Oh my God, _Ned_ ," she begged, her hips circling, and he watched her face contort as she came through her orgasm, and it left her sensitive, quivering, on the other side. When he dialed the remote back down to zero, she collapsed to him in relief, slick and hot and panting.

"God," she breathed. "Oh my God, Ned..."

He flicked it back on, until it was almost at the highest setting, and she _screamed,_ her hips moving weakly against his, then harder. She pulled back a little, just barely rubbing the egg against him, and screamed again, arching, her breasts trembling. Ned caught her left nipple in his mouth and she shuddered, raking her nails through his hair, moving her knees for better purchase.

He turned the egg off again and she was shaking, moaning loudly into his shoulder. "Feels _so good_ ," she mumbled, and then she sank her teeth into his flesh. He chuckled, and then she trailed little love-bites down, catching his nipple gently with the edges of her teeth.

"You wet for me?"

"Fuck yes," she groaned, nipping at his other nipple.

"Good," he said, and he pushed the control to weak vibration again. She whimpered, rocking her hips against his, arching slowly.

"Okay?"

"So... so... _fuck_ ," she gave up, blowing her hair out of her face with a sigh. "Mmm."

He reached down between her legs and touched the thin string of her panties, and found it already soaked wet with her arousal. He moved the string to the side and angled himself into place for her, and when the head of his cock bumped against her opening she pushed up and mounted him.

"Holy _fuck_ , Nan," Ned groaned. He had _never_ felt her so slick before. She was so aroused that the hollow of her sex was smooth and frictionless around him, hot and so _fucking_ good, and she took him to the hilt with a sigh.

Then he pushed the control all the way back up to maximum again.

"Oh my _God_ ," she screamed, arching, and Ned cried out as he felt her clench _hard_ around him, her inner flesh tight around his cock. She tilted the angle of her hips and just barely rocked against him in the lightest thrust and he prayed for the batteries to hold out as he grabbed her, sinking his fingers into her ass, trying to force her even harder against him. She shuddered.

"You feel _incredible,_ " he panted, his hips rocking under hers. "Fuck, baby, your pussy feels _incredible_."

The look on her face was pure blissed agony, as she looked down at him, her blue eyes blazing, her lips parted.

His hips started pistoning and he came with a shudder, and she undulated over him, her inner flesh pulsing to draw every drop of his seed as she followed. He slowly took the speed down on the vibrator and she collapsed to him bonelessly when it was finally still.

"Oh _fuck_ ," she sighed, resting her cheek against his shoulder.

"Yeah," he agreed, pushing her hair back. "That was fucking _amazing._ "

She chuckled. "I can't move," she told him. "I'm famished and I can't move. Like, for the rest of the week. I'll just be here. Like this."

He brought his face up so he could kiss the crown of her head. "I am becoming really good friends with our delivery guys," he said.

She moaned. "No, no. I'll make you something. Just give me five minutes... Soon I won't be able to cook for you anymore."

Ned pushed her back, so he could see her face. "Nan...?"

She shook her head. "I haven't... I don't know, yet," she told him. "I don't know what to say. But, if you go..."

He stroked her cheek. "I don't want to make you unhappy," he whispered. "Whatever choice we make."

She gave him a weak smile, then shook her head. "As long as I'm with you," she whispered. "As long as we're together when we can be. And..." Her smile widened into a grin. "As long as we try this again sometime."

"Fuck yes we will," he told her. "I love you, Nan."

"Love you too," she said, leaning down to kiss him, and he slipped his fingers through her hair as he returned it. "No matter what, baby."


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter by killingstreak.

Jerry Peterson was smiling at Ned.

He had came by to talk to Butler–one office away from Ned's–and when Peterson passed by Ned's open door, he nodded at him, smiling.

Ned smiled back, one hand raised in greeting, and then looked back down.

It had been four days since Peterson had told him about the possible promotion, and he had to give them an answer soon.

It was just an _application_ , not like he was accepting a concrete, solid offer. Just an application. But Nancy knew and _he_ knew that there probably wasn't a better candidate for the job than him. Putting in his application was tantamount to already accepting the position. He wasn't trying to be cocky, but Peterson had told him that the board knew all about his fine work, knew about all the times he had covered for Andrew, liked him for that latest project he had handled.

And Nancy.

She had avoided the topic since her return and every single time he had tentatively tried to bring it up, she had clamped her mouth shut and looked away. He was frustrated. They both were. It didn't help that he had overheard her conversations with Bess—more than once—and he knew that she didn't want him to go. She wanted him to stay, wanted him waiting for her each time she came back from her cases, tired, weary, back into the arms of the person she loved. She wanted that, but she also wanted him to be happy. She knew how much it meant to him, to get the promotion, that sense of recognition, to be able to wield some substantial amount of power. And that was the catch.

She wanted him to be happy and that meant letting him go.

He wanted her to be happy and that meant staying.

They were really going nowhere.

-

Mike had asked if he and Nancy wanted to come over for dinner and he had called her, only to hear her all breathless and distracted.

_You go ahead_ , she had said, and he knew that had also meant, _I'll be back late._

He keyed himself in at ten o'clock and their whole house was dark. He didn't really expect her to be back already, especially with the whole Onyx case going on.

Onyx.

Hardy. _Frank._

A part of him was still annoyed that Frank had asked for his wife's help. If it was the Network's problem, didn't they have plenty of their own agents to do the job?

_She's good_ , Frank had said, and Ned shook his head at that image.

She _was_ good and he was so damn proud of her.

Still, he couldn't help but wonder how much easier life would be if she wasn't _Nancy_. If she was just another ordinary person, she would urge him to take up the promotion—and the extra money—and agree to uproot herself and follow him to wherever his job would take him.

But she was Nancy and she was good and there was no way in hell she would quit her job and go with him.

No fucking way in hell.

-

She came in at three in the morning and she hadn't even bothered to change out of her clothes when she crawled into bed, the smooth cotton linen of her pants brushing his skin. She curled up onto her side away from him and when he looped one arm over her waist, she made a soft sound.

He didn't say anything and she didn't speak.

That night he dreamed of Nancy getting chased by a group of people and he tried to cry out when one of them pulled out a gun but she couldn't see him, couldn't hear him, and then _Frank_ appeared, took her hand and pulled her down an alley, away from the gangsters.

Away from him.

-

When his alarm rang, Nancy was already gone.

He stretched his arm over anyway and her side of the bed wasn't warm anymore.

“Fuck,” Ned muttered as he dry-washed his face.

_Fifth day._ They needed answers and Ned didn't have one.

-

He was halfway through a meeting when his phone rang. It was on vibration and he silently slipped it out of his pocket and pressed the reject button.

He had just pushed it back into his pocket when it vibrated again. Ned glanced surreptitiously at it and his screen was flashing an unknown number. He had half a mind to reject it but his dream last night made him feel jumpy all day, made him feel extra restless, and he found himself standing up, excusing himself from the meeting.

“Hello?”

“Hi, is this Ned Nickerson?”

“Yes, speaking. May I ask who's calling?”

“Sir, I'm calling from Mercy Hospital and—”

“Nancy,” Ned immediately gasped out, his heart racing. He _knew_ it. Something was bound to happen. Something was _always_ bound to happen. “ _What._ Is she okay?”

One day he was going to lose her. All because she decided to go out there and save the world, believing she was impervious, that nothing would ever really hurt her.

“Yes,” the nurse on the line said patiently. “Nothing serious. She just needs someone to bring her home because she's on some pain pills and will be feeling a little drowsy. Hospital policy.”

He didn't realize he was pacing, all keyed up, until he looked back up and saw his co-workers looking at him curiously through the meeting room window.

“I'll be right there,” Ned promised.

-

Even though the nurse had assured him that Nancy was fine, he couldn't help thinking that there was something the nurse was withholding. Multiple gunshot wounds, a knife stab, a fractured leg? There were so many definitions of the word _fine_. So long as she was alive, _that_ was fine too, right?

He found Nancy sitting in a wheelchair—they needed the bed, she later shrugged—and he was just so relieved to find her still in one piece.

“Nan.”

She looked up at him and smiled, tentatively, and he could read the slight fear in her eyes.

She probably wasn't afraid when she was getting chased, but she was afraid of _him._ Afraid of the conversation that would no doubt take place after this, afraid of the arguments that she had already foreseen in her head.

“Sorry,” Nancy offered as she looked down, and that was when he saw her left foot in a cast. “Just a slight fracture,” she supplied when she caught him looking at it.

He bit down whatever he wanted to say. “I'll just go check you out,” Ned said as he stuffed his hand into his pockets and strode off.

-

“The insurance will pay for it,” Nancy said softly, once Ned had helped her into the car.

He had taken an opportunity to ask the nurse about the full extent of her injuries. A stress fracture on her left shin, abrasions on her arms and basically bruised skin everywhere. His jaw just tightened with every injury the nurse listed.

“I know,” Ned answered tightly as he squeezed the steering wheel, trying to focus on anything other than what he really wanted to say. He glanced at her quickly and saw the ugly bruise that was forming at the side of her face.

“So, you're gonna tell me what happened?”

Nancy sighed and Ned shook his head as his gaze went back to the road again.

“Ned...”

“'But I'm fine now',” Ned mimicked her voice and she flinched. “So you expect me to just accept _this_ , ask no fucking questions about who did that to you, or _why_ , just because you're _fine_? Which by the way, you're _not_. No fine person walks around with crutches and looks like the poster girl for spouse abuse.”

“Why do you always fly off the handle,” Nancy muttered, her voice soft and a little slurred by the medication.

“Because I _care_ about you. I go batshit crazy _every single time_ I think about what you're putting yourself through because you think you're fucking superwoman—”

“I don't want to argue with you,” Nancy murmured, and her passiveness made him want to pull over and take her by the shoulders and shake her, shake her until she woke up and saw some sense.

“Great,” Ned said, taking one hand off to smack the steering wheel in frustration. “I'm the crazy irrational guy over here.”

Nancy didn't answer and when he risked a glance at her, she was already fast asleep, her head slumped to the side. He felt another surge of hot white anger rise up in him when he took in her vulnerable form.

She was all flesh and blood like everyone else. How could she not see that?

He sped all the way because he was so damn _angry_ , and when he pulled up sharply at their house, he expected Nancy to jerk awake. When he looked over at her, she was still soundly asleep.

Sighing, Ned climbed out of the car and made sure the door to their house was propped open before he went back for her. Nancy stirred a little when Ned gently scooped her up and despite himself, he softened, feeling his anger start to ebb away.

He placed her on the bed, and her eyes blinked open. “Ned?” she murmured, and he gave her a small smile.

“Yeah. Just need to shift your legs.” He gently moved her and she watched as his fingers touched her cast.

“Does it hurt?”

She shook her head, just as he had expected her to. “Not really.”

He moved back up and she closed her eyes when he kissed her forehead. “I'm sorry,” she whispered and he tucked her hair back.

“Sleep,” Ned said as he tucked her in, and she nodded.

“Okay.”

-

Ned had taken the rest of the day off and had just dozed off in front of the television when a loud crash woke him. His heart thudded as he took the stairs two at a time to their bedroom, where the sound had come from.

He found Nancy struggling to pick up one of the crutches, which had fallen down. He picked it up and passed it to her and Nancy accepted it wordlessly as she tucked it back under her arm and hobbled to the bathroom.

Ned sat down on the bed and when she emerged, she had washed her face and brushed her teeth.

“Sorry I can't make dinner today,” Nancy said, and Ned shook his head.

“I ordered Chinese.”

Dinner was a quiet affair and Ned kept gazing at her, but Nancy never really lifted her head. He couldn't quite tell if she was still drowsy or she just didn't want to meet his eye.

She pushed aside her takeaway box and Ned noted that it was only half-finished.

“It was supposed to be nothing,” Nancy said, her voice soft but strong. “I _swear_. We had this tip, and it was really nothing, we just needed a little more information to be sure. And I know you said I shouldn't do things alone all the time but I had Frank—”

Ned snorted. “And where was _Frank_?” he asked, trying to keep his voice down, but the anger showed through anyway.

“We got separated for a while,” Nancy mumbled.

“I didn't see him with you at the hospital,” Ned remarked as he pushed aside his own box. He didn't felt like eating either.

She looked up. “I was lucky,” she shrugged. “Sort of. Frank's a little more bruised.”

He knew he shouldn't feel this way but he was glad that Frank was hurt as well. If his wife was hurt, he wanted Frank to be hurt twice as badly. It was all _his_ fault, this damn case of his.

“So you guys walked into a fucking trap.”

Nancy shook her head. “It's not about Onyx. We verified the tip. It was pretty simple.” She shot him a wry smile. “And we just got into the dumb luck of running into some of Frank's, uh... past acquaintances.”

“Wrong place, wrong time,” Ned muttered under his breath. _Fucking Hardy._

“ What? Yeah.” Nancy nodded distractedly. “They recognized him and I don't know. I guess they thought I was his girlfriend or something. Thought I was an easy target.”

A part of him wanted to ask how they could have been mistaken for a couple. Instead, he just swallowed it down and looked at her.

“Out-numbered.”

“Yeah,” Nancy admitted. “But I'd say we were almost winning, up till the cops came.”

“Don't both of you carry a gun?” Ned asked, and even before she answered, he knew what she would say.

“You know I won't use it _then_.”

“Knowing you, you'd probably wait until _you_ were shot before you pulled yours out.”

“I won't get shot,” Nancy said defensively. “Why is your default scenario always the worst case scenario?”

“And why are you always Little Miss Optimistic? You're _human_ , Nan. _Anything_ can happen. And with your job—”

“It's _always_ about my job, isn't it,” Nancy shot back and her blue eyes were blazing.

“Because you're always putting your life on the line!” Ned answered heatedly, his voice raising. “And you're no superhero!”

Nancy snorted. “So what should I do, Ned? Quit my job, be a partner at my dad's firm or whatever fucking stable, _safe_ , job, or should I just wait for you to raise me?”

Ned blinked. “I didn't say—”

“Why are you so angry, Ned? It's just a fracture and a few fucking bruises. I wasn't shot at, I'm not fighting for my life, I'm _okay_! Why are you blowing up at me? I've been like this _all my life_ and you never said _one bloody thing_ about it and now I get this and you act like a complete _dick_.”

“ _I_ act like a dick?” Ned repeated, incredulous. “Do you know how fucking _scared_ I was when I heard it was the fucking _hospital_ calling me? And you call me a dick? The problem is with you, Nancy. With _you._ ”

“ Yes,” she shouted back and she pushed her chair back from the table angrily, the crutches clattering to the floor. “Yes, it's _all_ my fucking fault, Nickerson. All my damn goddamn fault. I walk on the street holding a sign that says shoot me because I'm such a fucking easy target and admit it, _admit it_ , you're more pissed because Frank's involved. Why don't you trust me?”

“I trust _you_. I don't trust _him_ ,” Ned snarled, and Nancy scoffed.

“You call this _trust_? _Please._ And is this all because of that promotion? You're trying to guilt-trip me into giving up my job here and following you to fucking Los Angeles? Because I will tell you right _now_ , that I am fucking _not_ going with you. I'm not going to quit and just uproot everything and go along with _you_.”

She was shaking with anger and Ned was seething as he pushed himself away from the table and drew himself to his full height.

“ _First_ ,” he said, his voice dangerously low, “I have _not_ told them to go ahead with the application so I just might not even fucking get a promotion. Second, I _never_ said that you had to stay at home and wait for me. _Never._ So don't fucking put words in my mouth.”

If she wasn't injured, she would have pushed herself to her feet as well, but her left leg was heavy in her cast. Instead, she remained seated, her back ramrod straight as she looked up at him, refusing to back down.

“I will never quit my job,” she told him firmly, and she was staring at him so hard that her eyes were starting to hurt. “I don't understand. I have been like this for all the years you've known me. Goddamn fucking _years_ , Ned. This is _me_. Why is it that it was okay when I got hurt sometimes back when we were dating, but suddenly, after we're married, you go all crazy if I come back with a few bruises? What changed? Is it because now I'm _married_ to you, so you think you own me? That if you tell me not to do this anymore, I won't? Ned, you can't change me. This is who I am.”

She looked away and grabbed the crutches, trying to fight the distant look of pain and mild discomfort off her face. One of the crutches had fallen slightly away from her and as she strained to reach it, Ned actually took a step forward, but then she managed to pick it up, panting slightly from the exertion. Her muscles were groaning.

She turned her head and he opened his mouth to speak, to defend himself, but her angry gaze floored him. “And I'm sorry if you got more than you bargained for when you married me.”

He watched her as she made her way back to their room and damn, she moved easily on her crutches, and Ned shook his head. She had been injured so many times that using a crutch seemed to be almost second nature to her. Along with bandages and antiseptic lotion.

Their bedroom door slammed and Ned sighed aloud. He hadn't really meant to lose his temper, but he just couldn't control it anymore. The fact that Frank _had been there_ and was actually the main reason she got hurt, just drove him out of his mind.

He wanted to rage at someone but instead he opted to boot up his game console. She was pissed and so was he and he knew that it wouldn't do anyone any good if he were to enter their room.

And he sure as hell wasn't going to break first. Not this time.

-

Nancy heaved herself onto the bed and stared up at the ceiling.

She shouldn't have shouted at him. She shouldn't have accused him of wanting her to quit her job. She _knew_ he didn't have any intention of doing that but a small, sour part of her always kept the accusation by her side, as some sort of defense mechanism.

The painkillers were starting to wear off and her leg hurt. She knew she shouldn't rely on them but the temptation was too great. She was in no mood to go to sleep with a throbbing leg.

Or with the empty space beside her, even though she would never admit it.

Sighing, she pushed herself off the bed and made her way to her wardrobe, digging out a t-shirt and a pair of cotton shorts. She changed shirts and then looked down at her cast and shorts, shrugging. Her shirt was long enough, and she didn't particularly relish the thought of struggling to pull her pants up.

After sponging her body lightly, Nancy came out of the bathroom, mentally kicking herself when she realized that Ned had probably left her purse in the living room—or worse, the car—when he had carried her upstairs.

She didn't want to open the door, didn't want to go outside, didn't want to make it seem like she was admitting defeat.

Even though she was _sort of_ in the wrong.

Her hand was on the doorknob, ready to twist it, when she felt it turn. She would have stepped back immediately, but it was hard to move fast on her damn crutches. The door nearly hit her in the face and she pushed it back, gasping in shock.

“Hey!”

She struggled to take a step back—the crutches sure were inconvenient as hell—before she opened the door to see Ned standing there, his hands in his pockets.

“Sorry,” Ned shrugged. He probably was only apologizing for almost slamming her in the face with the door, but she took it as an opening anyway.

“I'm sorry too,” she murmured, looking up at him. Ned still looked angry.

“I...” She gestured as she attempted to move around him, Ned but he continued to stand there, blocking her way.

“Do you know why I get so angry every time?” he asked softly, and she closed her eyes at the pain in his voice.

“Because you care about me,” she said equally softly, her gaze on their wooden flooring.

He crooked one finger under her chin and tilted her head up. “And how is that wrong,” he whispered, so softly she could barely hear him. “How is that wrong?”

She looked at him, but she was speechless.

“Nan, _tell me,_ how do I stop caring? Because I don't want to care anymore, I don't want to feel like this anymore,” he continued, and his voice was trembling. “I am sick of us fighting every single time, sick of this never-ending argument, _sick_ of all this—”

She wouldn't dream of standing on tiptoes to kiss him in her current situation, so instead she looped her right hand around his neck and forcefully pulled him down. His eyes widened in surprise until his lips met hers.

He wrapped his arms around her and boosted her up, boosted her against the door jamb, and she made a soft noise when her left leg shifted, her shin throbbing dully.

He broke the kiss immediately and pulled back, apology in his eyes, as he carried her over to their bed and laid her down gently.

She sat up and maneuvered herself until she was leaning against the headboard while Ned remained standing.

“I don't want you to ever stop caring,” Nancy admitted as she looked down at her hands on her lap. “Because that would mean you've stopped loving me and I... I couldn't bear that.”

She shook her head and looked up, and his gaze was so intense. “I can't _not_ have you. And I'm sorry that I make you feel this way. I know, I say this _all the damn time_ , but I _mean_ it, I really do, but when we argue, _god_ ,” she shook her head again and she was so frustrated because she couldn't find the words to express herself properly. “I just can't help myself.” She gave him a wry smile. “How do you put up with me,” she asked, but it really wasn't a question.

He slid onto the bed to join her. “How do you put up with _me_?” he asked in return as he cupped her face and kissed away her frustrated tears as they began to fall. “Shh, baby, don't cry.”

She looked up at him and when she saw the love in his eyes, another fresh pair of tears slipped down her cheeks. “I don't want you to go,” she whispered as she closed her eyes. She didn't want to see his expression when he heard that.

Ned kept silent and she forced open her eyes.

“I know I'm being selfish,” she continued as she held his gaze. “And I know I'm asking too much. It's just... I don't want to come back home every day to an empty house.”

“And when you're traveling, _I_ —”

She shook her head. “ _I know_. And when you go for your business trips... It _sucks_. So freaking bad. But they're short and I can visit and—”

“You can drop by _any time_.”

She looked up at him and rubbed away her tears impatiently. “I know.” She gave him a wan smile. “You like it when I surprise you. And _I_ like it too. I can deal with that because I know you'll be back home. In another two days, another five days or maybe a week. I... I just... With you all the way in L.A, I don't know, Ned, _I don't know_.”

“Shh,” Ned whispered again. He shifted beside her until he was cuddling her, her head resting on his shoulder.

“What if I'm not strong enough?”

He stroked her arm and she snuggled closer to him. “We survived the whole long-distance thing before, remember?”

Nancy nodded and then she snorted. “Just barely.”

Ned made a soft sound and she immediately regretted saying anything. “I'm sorry... I was stupid last time. I—”

Ned cut her off. “What are you afraid of, Nan?”

She looked at him miserably. “I can't answer that.”

“Why.”

“Because just thinking it makes me hate myself.”

“Don't,” he murmured as he kissed the crown of her head, and she closed her eyes.

“Ned...”

“If you're thinking that I'll cheat on you somehow or you can't stay faithful, _don't._ Don't fucking think that way, okay?” he whispered hoarsely. “Don't goddamn give it a _second's_ thought.”

She shrank away from him.

“Hey—”

“I'm awful, aren't I,” Nancy said, and she shook her head. “I don't know why I think this way. It's so awful. And I trust you, Ned, I trust you with my whole life, but me...”

“You what?” he asked, but he already knew the answer.

“I don't know,” she whispered miserably. “I'm afraid it'll get too hard without you by my side and I'll just run. Take the easy way out and just go.”

“You will end me, if you do,” Ned said simply, and she nodded, sobbing quietly.

“And I will kill myself too because Ned, you are _the one_. You are really the only person I love this much, and the only person I ever will. And I don't want to give you up..."

Ned shook his head and the crinkling of plastic when he shifted reminded him of why he was in here in the first place.

He fished out her painkillers out of his pocket and handed the bottle to her. “It's time.”

Despite herself, she giggled a little. “That sounds like a suicide pact.”

Ned smiled a little. “Maybe it is.”

She broke into a full smile and he leaned in and kissed her softly.

“I love you,” he murmured as he wiped away her tears. “And I hate to see you cry.”

“I love you too,” Nancy whispered back, blinking back her tears. “And I hate it whenever I cry too.”

They both laughed and Nancy snuggled back to him and took the painkillers with the glass of water from her bedside.

“Sleep?” Ned asked, one eyebrow raised, and Nancy scowled at him in mock-disgust.

“Yes. _Actually_ sleep.”

-

He had already been asleep for quite some time when he was awoken by her soft grunts. She was trying to shift onto her side.

When he opened his eyes, he found her looking at him, her eyes just two gleaming circles in the dark.

“You okay?”

“Yeah,” she nodded, and then she hooked her right leg over his hip.

“Nan,” he said warningly. His eyes had adjusted to the dark and he saw that she was looking at him innocently. Or not so innocently, considering that she had just deliberately brushed her knee against him.

“Yeah,” she breathed, and Ned had the urge to shake her, to see if she was fully awake.

“Do you know what you're doing?” he murmured.

“What am I doing?”

“You...”

She caressed the front of his boxers and damn, he was aroused. Of course he was.

“Nan...” he repeated again and she pressed a kiss to his lips.

“Shhh.” She slipped her hands into his boxers and gently palmed him and Ned groaned.

“Feels so good.”

She gave him a knowing smile and then he was pushing down his boxers, allowing her better access. His hands crept to her breasts and he fondled her over the thin cotton of her shirt.

Her nipples were already hard and she moaned when he pushed her shirt up and licked them slowly, before sucking on them. She tried to move her leg, and her left leg protested slightly but at least she didn't feel the sharp pain she had before. The new painkiller was working wonders.

He detached from her breast to rest a hand on her hips. “Don't move too much, baby.”

She groaned in frustration. “But I...”

He chuckled and sat up, pushing the covers back before taking his pillow and placing it at her ankles between her legs, so that her right leg wasn't resting fully on her cast. It gave him a slight opening as well and when he dipped his fingers into her panties, he found her slick and wet for him already.

He scrambled off the bed and Nancy almost protested until she saw him rummage through their drawer of toys and come back with the ribbed egg. Nancy took one look at it and shivered with delight, her lips already slightly parted in anticipation.

He pulled down her panties and she jerked, letting out an involuntary cry when the toy first touched her. She groaned when he dragged it down her slit, starting the the vibration with a flick of his thumb but never quite touching her clit.

“Ned,” she groaned as she tried to move, tried to angle her hips, but she was good as immobile, solely in his power.

He turned it up to the strongest vibration and she cried out loud as he brought it frustratingly close to her clit, and she yelped when he brought it over that tight nub of flesh, rubbing against it, the vibration making a loud whirring sound as she panted, crying out, her hips bucking. He teased her with the toy, pressing hard against her clit, tracing it against her slick inner lips, then bringing it back up and just lightly resting the tip against her again. She grabbed his wrist and felt herself jerking, trying to give him better access. "God, _yes_ ," she sobbed out as it brought her to her climax, her legs trying to clamp down together hard as her insides spasmed.

“Oh god,” she panted and she tried to sprawl onto her back, but winced when she thought of shifting her cast.

Ned was watching her and when she looked at him, he was stroking his cock frantically, and she knew that he was close to coming when she reached out to catch his wrist.

“No,” she murmured, and Ned shook his head.

“We can't. You're—”

“I want you in me,” she whispered huskily, and Ned relented as she knew he would. He was just as powerless as she was when it came to this.

“You need to stop me if it hurts,” he warned and she nodded.

He touched her, groaning a little when he found her wet for him. He dipped his fingers into her and she moaned, her toes curling. He withdrew, his fingers stroking his cock with her juice.

He lifted her leg and it was kind of awkward as he positioned himself just slightly below her hips as he tried to enter her from behind. His cock jutted against her entrance and he muttered a curse as he guided it in. Nancy arched, savoring the feel of him in her, filling her. He couldn't penetrate her fully in this position and he didn't intend to. Instead, he reached behind him and found the toy again, set it to the highest vibration and held it against her clit. She cried out and Ned felt the first clench against his cock as he pulled out gently.

“Hold it,” he murmured and she nodded, swallowing, her body jerking with every buzz of the vibrator.

He pushed back in again and she threw her head back, her eyes rolling back and it was s _o good_ with the additional vibrator. Ned was pulling out an inch or two before thrusting back in again, his fast, short strokes teasing her to the very edge. He jerked her thighs apart and his angle changed and she panted for breath, then cried out as he roughly grasped her breast, his hips rocking hard against hers.

“Come,” he groaned, as he gritted his teeth in an effort to hold back.

“Fuck,” Nancy grounded out as Ned pushed in further and pressed her vibrator onto her clit more firmly. She bucked at that, screaming, as she clenched against him over and over again, and Ned came, groaning loudly.

He pulled out of her and switched off the vibrator as she whimpered softly, fighting to get her breath back, her leg slowly slipping down onto the bed. Ned pushed himself up to get them tissues to clean up and when he came back, Nancy smiled at him.

“Maybe if you were the one with the fractured leg, it'd be much easier.”

Ned laughed. “Yeah. I'd just lie there and watch you fuck the daylights out of me.”

“That was great too,” Nancy said, as Ned climbed back into bed.

“It is _always_ great with you,” Ned murmured as he turned onto his side to face her. “Your leg okay?”

Nancy dismissed it with a wave. “Can't feel a damn thing. Thank you for bringing me the painkiller.” She looked down. “I thought you were still mad.”

“I was,” Ned admitted. “I'm just not very good at staying mad at you for too long.”

She gave him a wry smile. “I'm good at making you mad at short intervals of time.”

He kissed the tip of her nose. “Shut up.”

“It's true.”

“You're good at being a wife, an agent, a daughter _and_ making me want you in bed.”

Nancy looked up at him and stroked his cheek. “See,” she whispered softly. “This is why.”

“What.”

She shook her head as she traced his features. “This is why I don't want to ever let you go. I love you too much.”

He stroked her hair. “ _Nan_. If you tell me not to go, I won't. You know that.”

She shook her head again. “ _No_. I can't and I won't. It's not fair, expecting you to stay here and be okay with it when I go solve mysteries and when it's your turn I get all selfish and I become so demanding and god, I'm sorry, I'm _so_ sorry—”

“Nan...” He cut her off with a finger to her lips. “Don't apologize, baby. Don't say sorry for loving me.”

She gave him a small smile. “And I love you so much.”

“I know that. And I'm just glad for that. I don't need any promotion, I just need your love.”

She ducked her head. “But you can have both.”

“But you won't be happy. And I don't want that.”

“ And then _you_ won't be happy and I don't want that either,” she sighed as buried her head deeper into the pillow, exhaustion slowly stealing over her.

“I'm not asking for an answer now, Nan,” Ned continued softly as he stroked her back. She sighed again.

“You have to tell them soon.”

“Yeah,” Ned admitted. “I know it's hard so don't answer me now. Answer me tomorrow, or the day after.”

She opened her eyes and leaned in to kiss him. When she pulled back, her gaze was slightly wet.

“I'm sorry. It would have been so much easier if it was someone else.”

“But I just want you, Nan, only you.”

“We'll work something out,” she murmured and Ned nodded.

“Yeah. We always do.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter by littlemsmessy.

"Oh, no, no more Kahlúa mousse cake for me, Hannah,” Nancy protested, putting her fork down on her almost-empty plate and groaning. “As it is, I can’t believe I ate that much, especially after stuffing myself with your chicken Marsala and mashed potatoes.”

It was a rainy Saturday night, and Nancy had really had to cajole Ned into spending it with her family rather than going out with their friends before heading home for a night of drunken fucking. If they hadn’t already turned her father down on three previous occasions, Nancy would have cancelled. However, once Ned had heard that Hannah was making one of his favorite meals and a special dessert, it was easier to convince him. That, and a promise to break out some new sex toys when they got home.

Since Ned had submitted his application for the promotion in Los Angeles, he had made weekly trips out there for the interview process, staying longer and longer each time. Nancy was certain that he would get the job; while she still had her fears and misgivings about what it would do to their relationship, she knew she had to at least give him the opportunity to advance his career. If she were the reason he didn’t pursue the promotion, he could end up resenting her later on, no matter what he said now. So far, though, it had already meant less alone time for them – he was spending a good part of every week in California, and she was working crazy hours at the agency when he was home.

“Well, you can’t let that awesome chocolate-y goodness go to waste, Nan,” Ned told her, reaching across her to spear the last bite of cake on her plate onto his fork.

“I seriously still have no idea how you aren’t three hundred pounds, Ned,” Nancy replied, shaking her head.

Her father chuckled at them from across the table. “We all still wonder about that, Nancy.”

“Well, I’m just happy that Ned enjoys my cooking,” Hannah smiled.

“Hannah, I told you before – if this thing with Nan doesn’t work out, you’re next in line,” Ned teased, taking a slug of milk to wash down his cake. “I really think we could be very happy together.” Nancy smacked his arm as Carson and Hannah laughed.

“So, what are your plans over the next few weeks? Ned, I know that you’re going back to L.A. tomorrow night, but what about you, Nan? Any hot new cases?” Carson asked.

Nancy drained the last of the wine from her glass. “Yeah, just a few things here and there,” she replied noncommittally. She hadn’t filled her father in on the Onyx project, nor did she have any plans to do so. It was bad enough that Ned was nervous about her safety with this rogue agent on the loose; no use in worrying her father, too. Thankfully, the worst of her bruises and scrapes from a few weeks ago were just about healed – the one on her face could now be covered up with a light dusting of powder instead of the thick spackle of makeup it had initially required. The cast was still on her leg, though, and would be for a little while longer. She had fibbed to her father, telling him that she had cracked her shinbone while tripping over something, but the knowing look in his eye and the tightening of his jaw meant that he was well aware that her injury was related to a case.

“I heard from Fenton Hardy that the two of you met Frank for dinner in New York not that long ago,” Carson ventured.

Nancy gave a sideways glance at Ned and was glad that he didn’t flinch at the sound of Frank’s name. “Yes, Frank and I happened to be in the city at the same time, and we got together. Then Ned surprised me,” she smiled at her husband, “and the three of us wound up having dinner together.”

“And how’s he doing?” Hannah queried, starting to rise from her chair to gather the plates. “I can’t remember the last time we saw him or Joe – I think it was at your wedding.”

Nancy waved her to sit. “No, Ned and I will clear and do the dishes. You just relax.”

When Hannah reluctantly settled back into her chair, Nancy continued. “We didn’t get to talk long before Frank had to leave, but he seemed fine.” Knowing Ned’s discomfort about all things Hardy, she changed the subject. “And what are you going to be up to, Dad? Legal conferences? Hot dates?”

Carson cleared his throat. “Actually, Adriana thought it would be nice to make dinner for the four of us sometime, and we were hoping that we could make it soon. However, since you two have such crazy schedules, we can wait,” he added hastily. “No rush.”

Nancy and Ned exchanged amused glances. “That does sound nice, Dad. Our schedules _are_ crazy, but maybe we can do it in a few weeks?” Carson nodded, looking slightly relieved. “I’ll touch base with Adriana to see what I can bring,” Nancy offered.

“To tell you the truth, I’m surprised that I was able to book the two of you tonight. You’re always so busy on the weekends, and I know this whole long-distance thing can’t be easy on the both of you.”

Nancy smiled. “Never too busy for my dad. Besides, we’re both so exhausted from work and travel that a quiet night at home sounded very appealing,” she lied smoothly, not looking at Ned.

“Any news on the job, Ned?” Carson asked his son-in-law.

“No, I’m still waiting to hear, but they’re supposed to make a decision by Friday,” Ned replied. “They’re trying to recruit and screen some support staff for the Los Angeles office. The person who gets the position I’m applying for has to then be involved with the interviews for the actual hiring part, so it’s taking them a while to coordinate everything.”

All of a sudden, they heard tree branches scraping against the windows of the dining room and a loud crack of thunder.

“Storm looks terrible, Nan.” Carson commented, glancing out the windows of the dining room. “If it continues to pour like this when you two are done with the dishes, you may want to reconsider leaving at all tonight.”

She felt Ned shift in his chair beside her, his impatience palpable. “Well, we’ll see, Dad. Maybe it’ll clear out soon.”

Nancy carefully balanced herself on one leg as Ned picked up her crutches. She helped him to gather the plates, silverware and glasses, leaving Hannah and her father to relax at the dining room table. The minute the kitchen door closed behind them, Ned turned to Nancy with a look of horror on his face. “Nan, please tell me we aren’t staying here tonight. I think you promised me that we’d play with the new toys when we got home,” he hissed. “After all, we have less than twenty-four hours before I have to fly back to California.”

Nancy gave his arm a reassuring pat. “Relax, Ned. The rain’ll probably let up soon and then we can go home and you can do dirty, naughty things to me like you planned to.”

“It had better,” he mock grumbled.

However, instead of dying down, the storm seemed to increase in strength. By the time they had finished all of the cleaning up, the rain seemed to be coming down in buckets and the wind was howling as it furiously lashed the trees against the side of the house.

Ned looked out the kitchen window in despair. “Shit, we’re stuck here, aren’t we?”

Just then, the kitchen door opened and Carson entered. “Nan, I know you’re both grown adults, but I don’t like the idea of you and Ned driving around in this. Hannah and I just watched the news and they’re predicting terrible lightning and thunder and flash flooding for the rest of the night.”

Nancy looked at Ned. “Oh, it shouldn’t be that bad,” she ventured, trying not to upset her husband. “Ned’s experienced at driving in crazy weather conditions, Dad.”

“I know, Nancy, but I’d never forgive myself if the two of you got into an accident,” he said firmly, glancing at his son-in-law for backup. “Especially since you’re already hurt.”

Nancy knew that Ned still had a healthy fear of her father and wouldn’t do anything to contradict him. “I guess we’d better stay after all, Nan,” he sighed, appearing resigned.

She shrugged. “Then we’re here for the night, Dad.”

Carson smiled, visibly relieved. “Hannah can help you make up the bed in the spare room. Nan. Unless the two of you want to play a few hands of cards first?”

“I’m way too full to go to sleep now,” Nancy admitted. “Ned?”

It amused Nancy, how Ned didn’t want to show his eagerness to take her to bed in front of her father. “Sure, why not,” Ned replied, almost too casually.

After Carson soundly beat them at numerous hands of Texas Hold ‘Em, Nancy stretched and yawned. “This has been a lot of fun, everyone, but I’m beat.” She slowly rose from her seat at the table, balancing on one foot as she fished for her crutches, and caught Ned’s eye. “Ready for bed, honey?”

Ned nodded. “Yeah, I’m ready to turn in.” He also stood up.

“Nancy, I just put sheets and blankets on the bed in your old room a few days ago, so if you and Ned want to stay there, you can,” Hannah volunteered. “The other room is a mess with my sewing stuff but it has the larger bed, so I can clear it out if you want.”

“No, don’t be silly, Hannah - you’re tired and it’s late. We can use my old room," Nancy smiled. “It’s been so long since I’ve stayed in there.”

The four of them trooped to the staircase. Carson and Hannah were amused when Ned scooped up Nancy to carry her upstairs, despite her protests that she was perfectly fine with using her crutches. When they reached the top landing and Ned carefully set her down, Carson gave her a good night kiss on the cheek. “I have to admit that it’s nice to have my little girl sleep here tonight.”

Nancy gave him a quick one-armed hug. “This was a fun night, Dad. Thanks for the invite.” She leaned over and kissed Hannah. “And, thanks for dinner, Hannah!”

Ned also planted a kiss on Hannah’s cheek. “’Night, Hannah, Carson.”

Hannah and Carson continued down the hall to their respective rooms and Nancy led the way into her old bedroom, flicking on the small lamp on the dresser instead of using the overhead light.

Ned flopped down on the bed. “You know I like spending time with your dad and Hannah, but I’m glad we’re finally alone. Hey, I can’t believe they still have your old double bed in here.”

“At least Dad hasn’t kept this room too much like a shrine,” Nancy chuckled, pointing to the new light blue paint on the walls and matching comforter that replaced the sunny yellow she had chosen as a girl. Everything else she had left behind remained exactly as she had left it.

She smiled as she picked up a ceramic heart-shaped music box that Ned had given her shortly after they first started dating. “Remember this?” She held it up and Ned nodded.

“Was this bed always this small?” he groaned, stretching out. “I know we used to find it tight fit when we fooled around in here, but it seems to have shrunk.”

“It hasn’t changed, but we have - we’re spoiled now that we have a huge king to roll around on. Hey, are you mad that we had to change our plans tonight?” Nancy kicked off her flats and carefully sat on the bed, storing her crutches on the floor.

Ned waved his hand dismissively. “Nah. Much as I hate to admit it, your dad was right – this weather sucks and I wasn’t in the mood to drive in it. Besides…” his voice trailed off and a gleam appeared in his eye.

“What?” she asked warily. “Nickerson, what do you have on your mind? I can see the wheels turning.”

He chuckled. “Well, I was just thinking about what you said about us fooling around in here all of those years ago. We had to be so careful not to get caught by your dad coming home unexpectedly.”

“And we came damn close a few times. I thought for sure that he was going to eventually walk in while we were half-naked and wrapped around each other.”

Ned grinned at the memory. “At the time, it drove me crazy that he never let us stay in the same room before we were married, but it was kinda hot to have to sneak around.”

Nancy affectionately ruffled his hair. “Well, now that we are married, we don’t have to worry about it anymore. Did you ever think the day would come when he’d lead us to the door of this bedroom and give us his blessing to stay here together?”

“I did not. Which leads me to the idea I had.” He paused.

"Go on, let’s hear it.”

“Well, I have to admit that I’ve always had this… idea… of us doing it in this bed. Since high school, really.”

“Are you telling me that you want to have sex with me in my childhood bed with my dad and Hannah _right down the hall_?” She kept her voice low, but the outrage in her tone came across loud and clear.

Ned was amused. “Babe, we just talked about how we used to fool around in here; what’s the difference?”

“Ned, it was one thing for me to give you a hand job or two or for me to let you get to third while my dad was out; it’s quite another for us to, I don’t know, _get it on_ while he’s sleeping two doors down! These walls are pretty thin, Ned. And, weren’t _you_ the one who freaked out at the thought of us having sex when we spent that weekend at the cabin with your parents?”

“That’s because my parents were all up in our chili the entire time,” he pointed out. “Every time we had two seconds alone, they knocked on our door or followed us. I love them, but geez.”

Nancy had to laugh at that. “Yeah, I guess it never occurs to them that we haven’t been married that long and that we like to have sex. I don’t think your mom likes to think of her baby boy like that. Just like my dad wouldn’t like to hear the bedsprings creak or the headboard thump against the wall in here. After all, you just heard him call me his little girl - do you really want to give him evidence of you doing me under his roof, Ned? I’m sure it wouldn’t be awkward _at all_ at the breakfast table tomorrow morning.”

“Stop, stop!” Wincing, Ned put his hands over his ears. “You almost make me not want to fuck. Almost,” he amended. “Look, what if we’re quiet? This bed was never that noisy, and we can pull it away from the wall. Plus, the noise of the rain and thunder outside should drown out most of your screams. I know you like to make a lot of noise, but do you think you can restrain yourself for once?”

She glared at him, but it was halfhearted. “I’m not the only one who likes to moan and groan during, Nickerson.”

“Come on, Nan, please? Please?” he begged. “After all, don’t you want to make it up to me that we even have to be here at all tonight? We have a lot of sex to catch up on! And, it is one of my unfulfilled fantasies – finally getting to go all the way in this bed after all of these years. How many times did you stop me when we were in high school and college?”

"You were bound and determined to score, God bless you,” Nancy chuckled.

"And I finally did. What do they say about perseverance, Drew? Come on, please say yes, honey. I promise to be so, so quiet.”

Sighing, she nodded her head, feigning reluctance. Secretly, though, Nancy loved the idea of finally being able to make love to him in that room, in that bed, without fear of damaging her reputation or fear of the unknown. As something that had been forbidden for so many years, she was still amazed at how natural it felt to be with him behind closed doors in the house where she grew up

“Hey, I don’t suppose you have any of your old outfits from high school left in the closet here?” Ned asked hopefully. “Maybe one of those little skirts or something?”

Nancy swatted at his arm. “Don’t push it, Nickerson.”

"Just thought I’d check. Can we at least do a little role playing?”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “What are you saying? I’m not doing ‘Jedi Knight and Princess Leia’ or shit like that.” When Ned gave her a look of mock disappointment, she swatted at him again.

“Well, can we at least pretend tonight that we’re still in high school, and that no one else is home? We start to fool around and you let me get further and further until you finally give in to me.”

“You really have been thinking about this for a long time,” Nancy marveled. “Okay, fine,” she acquiesced, still feeling guilty about hijacking their precious alone time for a night with her family.

“Yeah!” Ned cheered, clamping his hand over his mouth when Nancy frantically shushed him.

“We need to be super quiet – I’m serious. I’m sure the last thing that either of us wants is Dad knocking on the door while we’re in the middle of doing it. If that happens, I’ll make you go ahead and explain it to him.”

“Or, you could just save me the pain and kill me first,” Ned said wryly. “Thank you so much, babe. I’ll make this good, I swear.”

“You’d better,” she grumbled, scooting backwards and pushing the covers back. “So, how’ll this work? What’s the scenario?” The wind picked up again outside, and they could hear it drive the rain into the side of the house.

Ned checked to make sure that the bed frame was pushed away from the wall before settling next to her and putting his arm around her shoulders. “Well, your dad is working late tonight, you see, and I came over watch a movie with you. Hannah was supposed to be here, but her friend had an emergency so she left us and said she’d only be gone for a few hours.”

“And then?” Nancy asked, a gleam of amusement in her eye as she looked up at him.

“Well, then, we started watching the movie, but it was boring.”

“Very, very boring,” she whispered, moving her mouth close to his.

“Exactly. Then, we started kissing on the couch. You know, little kisses, but they got more and more intense.” Ned began trailing the tips of his fingers up and down her arm. Even after all of this time, the feel of his hands on her bare skin still could make her shiver, even when he was touching her so innocently. “Then, I pushed you onto your back on the sofa, and climbed on top of you so we could kiss some more.”

“That must have been very uncomfortable,” Nancy murmured. “That couch has always been so difficult for one person to lie down on, let alone two of us.”

"It was,” he told her softly. “And we definitely wanted to get more comfortable, ‘cause we didn’t want to stop kissing. We kissed so much that your lips were red and swollen and our tongues were sore, but neither of us wanted to be the one to end our makeout session."

She could feel that delicious tingle of her clit, the one that signaled her arousal. “So, did I then suggest that we go upstairs to my room where we could have lots of room to lie down?” Nancy reached up and pushed a stray lock of brown hair off of his forehead. “I’m a very practical person, so it makes sense that I’d come up with that idea.”

“You did, Nan. So we turned off the TV and came up here. So now, we’re sitting on your bed, and we start kissing again.” With that, he slowly kissed her, sliding his tongue between her lips.

The pressure of his mouth on hers was so satisfying that she couldn’t think for a moment; all she could do was kiss him back and run her hands over his muscular shoulders. It amazed her that she never got tired of this, of kissing him and touching him, even thought she had done it thousands of times. She finally recovered. “Mmmmm, I love when we kiss.”

Ned slid his tongue back into her mouth before pulling away to give her a brief grin. “Me, too. But we came up here, and I start to feel like it’s time we do a little more.”

“Like what, Mr. Nickerson?” A flash of lightening briefly lit up the room.

Instead of replying, Ned moved his hands to the hem of her short-sleeved emerald green cotton sweater. “Well, I try to get you to take off your sweater – which fits you _very we_ ll, I must say – and you push my hands away and start giggling.”

“Like this?” she captured his hands in hers and held them.

“Yes. And then I ask you if I can just touch your chest a little bit.”

“A little over-the-sweater action, you mean?” She grinned when he nodded; it turned into a gasp when he gently stroked his fingertips over her sweater-clad breast.

“I keep touching you, just softly and gently, and you don’t push me away or fight it.” His fingers continued to explore her through her shirt, and she could feel her nipples poking through the soft cotton.

“Well, I am in love with you and I really like it when we fool around, even though I make you work for it.” Nancy fluttered her eyelashes at him, making him chuckle.

“After a while, I try to take off your sweater again. You protest again, and remind me that your dad could walk in any moment. I tell you that he’ll be gone for hours but you still hesitate because you’re worried it’ll get all over school that you let the quarterback of Mapleton High’s football team get you naked.”

“Well, I do have my reputation to uphold,” she whispered. “And how do you convince me?”

"I swear to you that I won’t tell anyone – that it’ll be just between us. Then I tell you how much I love you and how beautiful you are and that I just want to make you feel good.” The house shook with a huge crack of thunder.

The throbbing of her clit was getting more and more pronounced as he continued speaking and stroking her breasts. It reminded her of the nights when Ned’s scenario had been reality, and the frustration she’d felt at not being able to let him do what they’d both wanted, what she had been too scared and shy to say yes to. “Do I let you take off my shirt then?”

Nodding, Ned moved one hand down to her abdomen to let it rest on the warm skin underneath her sweater. “You definitely do; you even help me get it over your head.” With that, he stripped off the garment with her assistance and tossed it over the side of the bed. “Then…Then I tell you how gorgeous you look.” He gently ran the back of his fingers over one ivory lace-trimmed strap of her black demi-cup bra, then placed his lips at the line of tiny ivory satin bows at the spot where the cups met.

Nancy didn’t fake the blush that spread across her cheeks at the expression of desire and admiration on his face. _He hasn’t even seen the matching thong under my skirt yet,_ she thought. She bit her lower lip and watched as he continued to run his hand up and down her bra strap. He leaned forward and again captured her mouth with his. Before she knew it, they were lying down facing each other.

“So,” she whispered after a few moments, clearing her throat. “How long do I make you wait before I let you take off my bra?” Her voice was husky with desire.

Ned’s grin was wicked. “Entirely too long, Nan. It makes me crazy. But finally, I move my hands to the clasp, like this,” he rested his palms on the fastening of her bra, “and start to undo it. You start to make noises like you want me to stop and I hesitate. I keep kissing you and until I get brave again and flick open one of the hooks, waiting, just waiting for you to stop me or tell me no.” He undid the clasp.

"Do I? Tell you no, I mean?”

“Nope. So I kiss you some more and then I do it again so that your bra is totally open but still on. Then I rub my hand along your bare back before I get the courage to slide it off of your shoulders. I think you’re going to put a stop to it; instead, you help me to push it off.” Ned flicked the final fastener at her back and discarded the lingerie before drawing her close. “Then you tell me that’s as far as we’ll go tonight.”

The sensation of her bare breasts brushing the front of his shirt only increased her arousal.

“So, now I’m topless but you aren’t?” Nancy asked softly. “That seems very unfair, Ned.”

"Hmm…I think we can do something to fix that.” He quickly yanked his shirt over his head and tossed it onto the floor next to hers. “Better?” Ned rolled so that he was lying on top of her.

She giggled. “Much. So, now that you’ve gotten me halfway naked, what do you do next?”

“Well,” he replied, drawing out the word. “I lie on top of you like I’m doing now – careful not to hurt your leg, of course,” he amended hastily. “There’s even more kissing, which I like, of course, but since I can see and feel your breasts, I kinda can’t stop thinking about what I want to do to them.”

“Which is?” Nancy both loved and hated the way he was drawing things out: the extended foreplay was delicious, but the torture of him not just ripping off her clothes and sinking into her was almost too much to bear. Almost.

“Motorboat.”

He said it so seriously that Nancy had to laugh. “How romantic, Nickerson.”

“Really, all I want to do is run my fingers and lips over them. Doing that over your shirt was nice, but I can’t help thinking about how amazing it would be to touch them now that they’re bare.”

His voice was so warm and tantalizing that it felt as if he were actually touching her. “So, do I let you?” Outside, the wind was howling and the rain was torrential.

“Oh, you do, you do,” Ned told her, nodding vigorously. “So, I reach out my hand and gently slide my fingertips over your nipples, which by now are hard as pebbles.” He caressed her, and Nancy felt her clit pulse again in response. “You don’t push me away like I thought you would, so I keep going until I can hear you start sighing your pleasure,” When he continued to stroke her, Nancy couldn’t help but gasp at the feel of hands on her bare breasts. “So then I decide to use my mouth. I run my lips over you with my mouth closed, just so I don’t scare you. You moan louder, so now I use my tongue, too, because I just have to know what your nipple tastes like. As in, if I don’t find out in the next minute, I might just die.”

Nancy closed her eyes, breathing heavily. “Well, I wouldn’t want that to happen,” she whispered. “Why don’t you try it?” He gently placed a kiss on one tight bud before running his tongue around it. “And did it taste how you thought it would?” she asked huskily.

“Hmmm, let me try again,” he replied teasingly. He slowly licked her nipple, lingering. “Better than I even imagined.” When Ned began lapping at her breasts, Nancy tilted her head backwards and arched her back, giving him even better access.

After a few minutes, Ned disengaged his mouth from her breasts, disappointing Nancy. “This is nice, believe me, but at this point, all I’m thinking about is getting that skirt off of you so I can see once and for all if the carpet matches the drapes. I can’t even tell you how long I’ve been wondering.”

Even though she was aroused beyond words, Nancy couldn’t help but chuckle. “Didn’t I tell you that we weren’t going any further than this tonight? Isn’t that what you said?”

“You did,” he acknowledged, “but I’m a horny teenage boy, so I’m gonna try to get more. But if you stop me ‘cause you’re really not into it, then I’ll back off,” he said hastily, remembering what had happened when Eric and his asshole friends had tried to take advantage of her.

Nancy smiled gently, knowing what was on his mind. “But it’s one thing for some douchebag and his douchebag buddies to try and overpower me, and quite another for the guy I love to playfully try and get me to have sex with him. I can tell the difference, you know.”

He grinned back, lightly touching his lips to hers. “Good. So, where were we?”

“You were trying to get into my pants, Nickerson. Just like you’ve been trying to do since the day we met. Some things never change, my love,” she said dryly.

“Isn’t predictability a good thing?” he countered. “So, anyway, about that skirt…”

“Well, maybe you try to put your hand on the button, just to see what happens.”

Ned followed her lead and rested his hand on the waistband of her skirt. When she didn’t push away his hands, he undid the button and slowly pulled down her zipper.

Nancy looked directly into his eyes, the hint of a challenge evident in her gaze. “I still seem to be half-dressed here, Ned. What’s taking you so long?”

That was all of the urging he needed. He slid the skirt down her hips and off her legs, throwing it over the end of the bed. “Wow,” he breathed, staring at the black satin thong trimmed in ivory lace and bows. “Drew, I could just stare at you like this all day, seriously.”

It never failed to surprise her, his reverence at seeing her naked or nearly naked, even after all of this time. She felt a happy glow mix with her desire. “Do you want to just stare, or touch?”

“Definitely touch,” he told her, tracing his fingers over the satin bows on her hips. “And at this point, I’m ecstatic because I can almost taste the promised land. Figuratively and literally.” She giggled. ”So, I put one of my hands on your back and then I begin to slide it down so that it’s on your waist, just above your ass. Just as I’m congratulating myself, you start to pull away, telling me that we really can’t do this and that your father would kill us if he caught us.”

“And?” she asked, her lips curving up in a grin as she moved away from him.

Ned groaned in frustration. “Well, the mention of your father causes my hard-on to temporarily deflate because I can imagine him having me assassinated or disfigured for doing what I’m doing to his darling daughter. But the sight of you wearing only your tiny little panties causes my dick to get even harder, so I banish the thought out of my mind. I put my arms around you again and begin kissing you, like this.” He gave her a tender closed-mouth kiss before sliding his tongue along hers. “Then I tell you how incredible it feels to be this close to you, physically.”

"Then?” Nancy would be shocked if he couldn’t smell her arousal through the flimsy material of her panties.

“I remind you how much I love you and how right it is for us to be together like this, expressing our love with our bodies."

Nancy rolled her eyes. “And do I fall for it, or do I call bullshit, knowing that you’re a horny teenage boy who’ll do anything to get some?”

“It’s not bullshit, Nan,” he protested, a hint of hurt in his eyes. “You know I’m madly, insanely in love with you and I always have been. Any time I’ve told you that it’s been true, whether it was in public or in bed or wherever.”

“Sorry,” she apologized instantly. “Didn’t mean to be bitchy. You’re right. Please continue to try to seduce me out of my panties, Nickerson.”

He chuckled. “Doesn’t take a lot, Drew.” Still laughing when she smacked him, Ned pressed his lips to her forehead. “Okay, so I’m telling you how much I love you and how I just want to make you feel good.”

“And how will you do that?”

“Well, if you let me, I’ll ever so slightly brush my fingers across the crotch of those pretty black panties and touch you through the satin.” Nancy sighed as he touched her, becoming even wetter than she had been before. “By this time, you’re arching yourself into my touch, all wanton and gorgeous and sexy underneath me. Suddenly, you come to your senses and prettily blush and tell me that you aren’t that kind of girl. But I know better,” he teased. Nancy pushed her hips back down onto the bed and clamped her legs together as best she could with the cast on one of them.

“By this time, I’m dying for you – the blood’s all rushed to my dick, so I can’t even think straight,” Ned continued. “I’ll do anything, anything to get you to say yes. So I promise that I won’t tell anyone about what we’ve done so far, what we will do. I tell you that I’ll love you forever, no matter what, and that you’re the smartest, most gorgeous girl in the world. Again, all of it being true.”

She smiled. “And will those be the magic words to make me give it up to you?”

“Not yet,” he admitted. “But you will let me take off your panties – you even start to push them down yourself.” Nancy began to slide them down, and Ned took over until they were off. “Amazing,” he told her, his voice barely over a whisper. The look of sheer want in his brown eyes almost melted her.

“Now what?” Nancy asked softly.

“Now I just look at you, really look at you for a minute. Then I reach down and gently stroke the pretty strawberry blonde pubes, thrilled to learn that it really does match what’s on your head. My sexy, sexy redhead. Plus, I’m hoping that it’ll make you open your legs again.”

“Say that again,” she commanded, his words causing her clit to twinge even more than before. By this time, it was almost like a second heartbeat between her legs.

"What? Are you asking me to call you my sexy redhead again? ‘Cause that’s how I think of you, you know. Always have.” Hearing him repeat it caused Nancy to spread her legs wide. “Mmmm, that’s one hell of a view, gorgeous girl. Luscious - good enough to eat.” His eyes gleamed.

Nancy was squirming with desire, barely able to contain herself from pushing down his jeans and thrusting her hand into his boxers. She could see his erection pushing against the zipper of his pants and could hardly wait to feel him slide into her. “So, what do you do now?” Dimly, she registered that it was still thundering and pouring outside.

“Now, I try to see if you’ll let me put a finger inside of you, just one finger. I want to find out if you’re as tight and wet and hot there as I think you’ll be. But you’re freaking out, because you think it’s too close to us having sex, so you block my hand.”

“Probably because I’m scared that once I give in to that, I’m not going to want to stop until we go all the way.”

“Right,” he nodded. “So I put my mouth against your ear, like this,” he kissed her earlobe before continuing, “and I tell you to just relax. Just relax and let me touch you.”

The combination of his breath on her ear and his words was enough to make her sigh and guide his hand to her opening. He slowly ran his finger up and down her outer lips before parting her and plunging one finger into her. The penetration was torture to her, the best kind; unlike when they had done this as teenagers, Nancy now knew exactly what it would feel like to have him inside of her for real, and she could barely wait for what would be the inevitable conclusion of their little game.

After Ned continued to stroke her slowly for a while with just the one finger, he inserted a second one and began running his thumb along her clit. “Do I just let you do this without protesting?” she panted. It was getting more and more difficult to concentrate.

"You do,” he groaned in reply. “Because it feels so amazing, and it makes you even wetter and more turned on than you were before. And then I start to suck on your nipples while I put my fingers inside of you, and still, you don’t push me away.” He ran his tongue along the erect nubs before sucking first one, then the other into his mouth.

Nancy thought that she would die from the sheer pleasure of the ongoing foreplay. She was longing to scream and moan, but the thought of her father or Hannah finding them naked and practically fucking was just as embarrassing as it would have been all those years ago.

“Mmmm,” she whispered. “But you still have your pants on.”

“I do. And by this time, my dick is so hard against my zipper that it’s painful. So I stop for a minute.” He withdrew his fingers from her sex and Nancy groaned in frustration. “I reach for the button of my jeans and start to slide them down when you suddenly realize what I’m doing and panic. You again remind me that you don’t want to have sex because you’re a good girl and you don’t want it to get around that you let me sample your cookies,” he grinned.

“And what do you say to try and convince me to let you remove your pants?”

“I tell you that we aren’t going to have sex just because I take off my jeans and that I’m feeling uncomfortable. You blush when you see that I practically have a tent pole in my pants, and nod shyly when I ask you if I can continue.” He pushed them off, and Nancy could tell that he was relieved.

“So, what do I do now that I can see your dick coming at me through your boxers?” she giggled.

"You giggle, just like you did now. Then you ask me if I’m in pain, and I tell you I’m not, just that it feels like I’m about to explode. I ask you if you feel the same way from the way I was touching you, and you nod again.

"So, now, I'm just in my underwear, and I am nowhere near ready to stop. You felt so good against my fingers, so I ask you if I can kiss you. You tilt your mouth up to me, but that’s not what I’m talking about. I ask if I can kiss you here.” Ned moved his fingers back to her clit. ”You stare at me, your gorgeous blue eyes opened wide. It never would have even occurred to you to ask me to do that, and you’re kind of shocked at the very idea, but now, you can’t stop thinking about what it would be like.”

Nancy was squirming because, at this point in her life, she knew exactly what it would be like to have his mouth there. “Do I push you away, or do I give you permission?”

“Oh, you stare at me for another minute, and I think for sure that I’ve gone way too far with you, that you’re gonna shove me off of you and tell me to get the hell out. Just when I’m about to apologize and try to take back my suggestion, you give me the slightest nod and say ‘Go ahead’ in the softest, sweetest voice. So, I give you one soft kiss on your mouth, like this,” he brushed his lips against hers, ”and then I begin to kiss down your chest, slowly, until I get to your pubes.

“Then I think I’m gonna have to open you up to me again, but before I even have to, you spread your legs wide, and I can see the blush working its way down your face and chest as you bite your lip. And you look so fucking sexy, all open to me like that, like you were before, that I can’t even believe that you’re mine and that you’re letting me do this. And I can’t wait one more second to do this…” With those words, he leaned down and kissed her clit before plunging his tongue into her.

Nancy grabbed the pillow next to her and held it up against her face to try and muffle her screams as he continued to lap at her. When he inserted two fingers inside of her while still lashing her with his tongue, she thought she’d pass out from the pleasure after so much teasing.

“Mmmm, your pussy tastes amazing,” he murmured between licks. “All hot and wet and sweet. Fuck, you’re delicious.”

“Oh, my God,” she moaned, her voice muffled by the pillow. ”Oh, GOD.” Her hips rose and fell beneath his hands and she used one hand to grab handfuls of his hair as he continued to eat her out.

Suddenly, he pulled away. “God, baby,” he whispered. “You are so ready for me, aren’t you?”

“Yessss,” she hissed, pulling the pillow away from her face. “Please…”

“At this point, we’re both completely turned on. I just want to get my dick inside of you; I want to feel that tight, hot, juicy wetness of your pussy around my cock. So I push off my boxers and you’re still so delirious that you don’t even notice. When I climb on top of you again, you can feel my hard-on against your thigh and you freak a little.”

“What do I do about it?” she groaned, savoring the feel of his hard cock against her bare skin.

“You tell me that what we’ve done so far was incredible, but you don’t want to cross the line. I can tell by the look of desire in your eyes that you’re dying to know what it’s like for us to have sex, but I also know you’re scared. So, I pull back a little and ask if you could touch me like I touched you. My dick still freaks you out, but you ask me what I want you to do.”

“And what is it that you want me to do?”

“I ask you to just stroke it up and down, but first I do this.” He slipped his fingers inside of her again and then drew the wetness up and down over his erection.

Nancy reached out so that both her hand and his were stroking his cock. “Like this?”

Ned groaned. “Yeah, just like that,” he told her, as they both moved in tandem. He moved his hand away and just watched as she slid her cupped hand up and down his shaft, teasing the tip with her thumb on each upward stroke.

"It’s so hard,” she cooed.

That’s ‘cause you’re so fucking gorgeous and sexy,” he moaned. “You make me hard like this, baby. Now, I ask you to play with my balls a little. You’re shy about it, but you start running your fingers over them with your other hand.”

She did what he said. “Do you ask me to suck it?” Nancy asked, knowing what those words would do to him.

Ned’s eyes rolled back in his head. “Well, at first I don’t, because I think you’ll refuse. But then it feels so good to have your hands on my dick that I can’t help but imagine what it would be like to have your sweet mouth around me. So I whisper into your year, something like, ‘Baby, it would be so amazing if you kissed me there.’ You pull back, startled, but then I ask you again – ‘Remember how good it felt when I did it to you?’ And then you look all shy and sweet and you move down and just kiss the tip.”

At this point, Nancy thought she would go insane. All she wanted to do was have him fuck her, but the buildup so far was so damn incredible that she didn’t want to ruin it. She kissed the tip of his erection, tasting the pre-cum that was starting to build there. Before he could continue speaking, she sucked him in and began deep-throating his cock to try and get him to hurry up and end their game already.

“Holy fuck,” she heard him murmur. “What was I saying before?”

Nancy took him out of her mouth long enough to remind him. “You had me kissing just the tip, but I saw it and tasted you and couldn’t resist.” She gave him a wink before sliding him into her mouth again.

“Well, by now,“ Ned panted between words, “I’m horny as hell and I just want to come. And as tempted as I am to finish in your mouth, I think you’d kill me after all of this teasing,” he continued as she looked up and glared at him. “So, I reluctantly, very reluctantly, pull out of your mouth and beg you to let me get inside of your sweet pussy. I tell you again how much I love you and how I want to be your first and how incredibly beautiful and sweet you are.”

“And do I give in right away?”

“By now, you are as horny as I am and you want it too, although you keep trying to tell yourself you don’t because you’re a good girl. But I keep pleading with you to let me make love to you and make you feel so good. I tell you that I know it’s a big deal to lose your virginity but I love you so, so, so much and I want us to get even closer than we are now. I tell you that I’ll be so careful not to hurt you and I promise to give you so much pleasure.”

Nancy was arching her hips in response to his words, so dripping wet and turned on that she couldn’t think. “And?”

“Just when I think that you’re going to tell me no and throw me out of bed, you grab me and kiss me. We’re making out again, and it’s rough and hot and fierce, and my hands are all over you and then you open your legs and tell me yes, but make me swear I won’t tell anyone and that it really won’t hurt.”

Nancy spread her thighs so wide that she felt them start to ache. “Oh, oh, God,” she babbled. “So you do you just enter me, already?”

"Mmm, I slide in just the tip,“ he answered, doing just that and withdrawing. When Nancy smacked his shoulder in frustration, he chuckled and did it again.

"Oh my God, you are killing me,” she hissed.

Ned slid in a little deeper and they both moaned. “So, now, we’re both dying for it,” he whispered into her ear. “And I am trying so damn hard not to just plunge in and hurt you, so I’m going so, so slowly.” He carefully thrust in and out a few times, still not completely penetrating her.

"More,” Nancy commanded, clawing at his shoulders.

“I go in a little deeper each time, but I’m still not all the way in,” he murmured, “and we’re both sweating and moaning and so ready to just go all the way already.”

“So what the fuck is stopping you?” she snapped, not-so-gently biting down on the join of his shoulder and neck during one particularly unsatisfying thrust.

“I want you to tell me yes again. I want you to ask me to please, please make love to you.” Ned gently stroked her clit, making her feel as if she would spontaneously combust.

“Oh, you son of a bitch,” Nancy groaned. “Fine. Ned,” she sweetly cooed, “baby, please, please, **_PLEASE_** make love to me. Please put your dick all the way in me and fuck me like I’ve never had it before,” she continued in dulcet tones. “Oh, excuse me, I’ve never had it before, but I just want you to fuck me already, damn it.”

That was the end of Ned’s self-control. He gripped her hips and plunged all the way inside of her, roughly thumbing her clit as he fucked her. It was all Nancy could do to keep from voicing her pleasure as he continued thrusting wetly in and out of her, his strokes deep and hard. She knew she’d leave scratches and marks from gripping her nails into his back as she tried to be silent, but she didn’t care.

As she felt her climax build, she opened her mouth; Ned immediately clamped his lips over hers and swallowed whatever sound she was about to make. He kept kissing her as she screamed into his mouth, no longer able to hold back.

When her spasms began to subside, he gave one final thrust before giving in to his own orgasm and Nancy could feel him explode inside of her as he uttered a low, guttural moan.

Ned collapsed on top of her, and they both lay there for several minutes, trying to catch their breath.

Nancy was the first to speak. “How in the hell did you last that long, Ned?” she marveled, stroking his hair.

“Let me tell you, if we really had done all of that in high school, there is no way in hell I would’ve been able to, baby,” he replied, pulling his head back to look at her. They both laughed.

Nancy stretched underneath him, her breasts brushing up against his chest. “Now are you glad we decided to come over here tonight?”

"Fuck, yeah,” Ned told her, emphasizing each word. “That was even hotter than I imagined it would be, Nan. And, again, everything I said was true.”

"You already nailed me, Nickerson, you don’t have to sweet talk me,” she answered lightly.

He brushed his lips against hers. “I love you so much, Nan. And I missed you this week; I missed this.”

"The fucking?” Nancy pretended to misunderstand him.

“Well, that, too, of course. But the closeness part. I don’t know how I’m gonna manage to live without you in L.A., sweetheart. Going to bed without you, waking up without you, not seeing your gorgeous face when I get home at night…I know that I decided to apply for the job, but God, it’s gonna be rough. These last few weeks have been awful and I’m not even living out there.”

She plastered a smile on her face, even though she felt the same way he did. Now that he had decided to take the chance, she didn’t want to be the one to hold him back. “We said that we’d make it work, honey, and we will. If we really hate it, we can always re-evaluate, right?”

“You’re the best wife ever, baby.” He kissed her again.

“That’s because I have the best husband. Now,” she said, changing the subject,” if I could stay quiet through what we just did, I can stay quiet through anything. Let’s see if we can try it again – this time, you be the nerdy math tutor my dad hired to help me with my calculus, and I’ll be the slutty bad girl who tries to get you to do my homework by giving you sexual favors.”

Ned rolled over onto his back and carefully gripped her waist to position her on top of him. “Okay, but I’m gonna need a lot of convincing.” He buried his head in the crook of her neck and nipped at her until she squealed.

“Well, we have all night, and I really hate calculus.”


	4. Chapter 4

"If you don't buy that dress, I will punch you in the mouth."

Nancy glanced away from her reflection, at Bess. Nancy had to admit that the dress was pretty great. The clinging fabric molded close to her curves, and the short skirt meant that Ned would find himself slightly less impatient than usual.

Bess was glaring at George, though, who was scowling at her reflection in the other mirror. She wore a black and white sundress in a floral print; the color set off her tan and hair, and the skirt ended at the knee. It was also about seventeen times more girly than George's usual attire.

George shook her head, reaching for the zipper. "I don't think so. I need a new pair of cross-country—"

"Oh my _God_ you have like seventeen pairs of running shoes—"

"I said _cross-country_ —"

The cousins engaged in their usual bickering, and Bess swore that she would buy the dress and put it in George's closet while she slept, if George didn't. Nancy smiled to herself and nodded at her reflection. She didn't have nearly the crisis of conscience that George did over clothes. She needed a hot dress and this definitely fit the bill.

"We are _not_ going to see that lame-ass tearjerker crap," George said, as the three of them put their rejected items on the designated cart. "Come on, Nan. There's that awesome boxing movie—"

"No such thing!" Bess said gleefully.

"Sorry," Nancy said, glancing between the cousins. "I can't be tiebreaker. Ned said if I don't go out there this weekend, he's going to— well, I can't repeat it."

George shuddered, while Bess tilted her head. "How is that going?"

Nancy shrugged. "I miss him," she said with a sigh. "I don't know, I keep thinking that it's going to _change_ him, being out there."

"As long as he earns a paycheck and puts out," George shrugged.

"It's amazing, that you can breathe and be that cynical at the same time," Bess said incredulously.

Nancy chuckled. "Anyway. That means..." She glanced down at her watch. "That I have to get back to work. That insurance fraud case isn't going to solve itself."

"It might," George pointed out. "And when you two move out there for good, don't forget about your best friends, who definitely wouldn't mind an invitation to _gorgeous_ weather and amazing beaches."

Bess elbowed George in the side. "If you... do that," she covered.

Nancy considered it, while packing for her trip, although she wouldn't admit to anyone that it had even crossed her mind—and, after the tension that had mounted between them before he had applied for the job, after the fights, she definitely wouldn't mention it to Ned. She would have to get a job at a different agency, and with all the actors and scandals, she had to believe that work wasn't hard to find for someone with her particular skill set. Spying on celebrities felt a step above paparazzi, though. _California_ felt like an entirely different country, in some ways.

If she was on her own, without an agency—but she hated handling the financial end of it, the insurance, all of it. She wanted to be _out there_ , and let someone else handle the paperwork that cropped up when she was acting as a professional and not a preternaturally skilled amateur. And _that_ would drive Ned utterly insane.

Nancy shook her head, her red-gold hair tumbling down. Their peace over his move was tentative; she had every intention of making the best of this trip out there. Before he had proposed to her, she had considered relocating to California, to New York, to Washington, but Chicago had just felt right to her. She had taken the job at the agency and Ned had taken his job and they had been planning their wedding, and she had to admit that she had always pictured them _here_. Their families and friends were in Chicago. Their life together was in Chicago. Or, at least, it had been.

Nancy opened a box she had been delighted to find in that day's mail and was dumping the contents into her suitcase when she heard her phone ringing from downstairs. She flew to answer it, marveling at how fast she could move now that the cast was off and she didn't need her crutches—she had taken it for granted for too long. She scowled when she heard her cell click off mid-ring before she could get there.

"I was just leaving you a voicemail," Frank said, when she called him back. "You free this weekend?"

"N... no," she said slowly. "I'm not. Something going on?"

"We've got a lead, but there's a time limit. It's in Paris."

Nancy's stomach tightened when he mentioned the city. "Sounds great," she said wistfully. "Wish I could go. Good luck."

"Oh, c'mon, Nan," Frank said. "In and out, no big deal."

"I can't," she told him. "I really can't. But do call me and let me know what you find."

Frank sighed. "I thought you were going to help me."

"Oh, don't even try it," she said. "You definitely can't guilt trip me into going to Paris. I am _long_ overdue for some time with Ned, and believe me, you do _not_ want to get in the way of that."

"That sounded like a challenge," Frank teased her.

"Do call and let me know what you find out."

Frank was quiet for a second. "So... your leg is doing okay?"

"Yeah." Nancy sighed and swept her hair out of her face. "It's okay. And next time... just let me know with a little more notice. If you can manage it."

"Sure thing, Drew."

\--

"Hey, baby."

"Hey." Nancy slipped her arms around her husband's neck as he pulled her into his embrace, lifting her a few inches off the floor. She closed her eyes as he nuzzled against her, letting out a contented sigh.

"I missed you."

"I missed _you_." Ned pulled back and brushed the tip of his nose against hers. "You look even more gorgeous than I remember."

"Oh, stop." Nancy tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. It had been a while since just the sight of him could leave her breathless, her heart fluttering, but he had managed it. "You're a sight for sore eyes yourself."

Back at the hotel, Nancy half expected Ned to rip her clothes off as soon as they walked in, but he seemed to be impatient to get to the party. Her flight had been forty-five minutes late, and the only thought that had kept her in a good mood was seeing Ned again.

"Found any good prospects?" Nancy called through the bathroom door as she touched up her makeup.

"Ugh. The realtor showed me this fucking _amazing_ apartment—three times as much as we pay on our _mortgage_."

"Damn," Nancy said, eyes wide, as she walked out. The slow sweep of Ned's gaze over the short dress, and the expression on his face when their eyes met again, was worth it. "So I guess you'll have to settle for something moderately less awesome."

He shrugged. "We'll see. Maybe I'm just looking in the wrong neighborhood. I gotta say, though, this hotel room looks a thousand times better with you in it."

She smiled and gave him a peck on the cheek. A small part of her was traitorously hoping that he would grow tired of living out of hotel rooms, tired of being here without her, and just come home. "Let's go ahead and hit this all-important party so we can get back and I can show you just how much I've missed you."

The party, Ned told her (again, but who was counting; he was keyed up and his eyes were gleaming, and so she just nodded), was being thrown by a pair of Omega Chi brothers who had perfected a CGI technique that had become industry standard. Their work was steady and major, and they only threw parties a few times a year, but the ones they did throw were legendary.

"And it's Brian Palmer—"

"Yeah, and Maury."

"Maury!" Nancy said, delighted. "Oh, I love him. It's been so long!"

"It has," Ned agreed, his fingers tapping lightly against his knee.

When the cab pulled up, Nancy couldn't quite believe it. The house was enormous, brightly lit, complete with a borderline-tasteless fountain out front. Nancy looked down at her dress. She hoped her outfit was okay—although, to be honest, the only person whose opinion she cared about, when it came to her clothes, was her own and Ned's. And sometimes Bess's.

"That's a _lot_ of Red Bull."

Ned chuckled, following her glance to the enormous supply stacked in the kitchen. "Bet you anything that it'll be gone by the time we leave."

The party was already loud by the time they walked into the main room. "It's the Big Nick himself!" Palmer crowed when he caught sight of Ned. Nancy's husband wasn't the tallest man there, but he could still see above most of the crowd.

"Brian!"

Nancy found herself falling back into the familiar routine of all the Omega Chi parties. She spent the first ten minutes at Ned's side, letting the guests who knew them both coo over her ring and ask the usual impolite questions about when they were planning on having kids; back when he had still been at Emerson, it had been questions about when he was going to pop the question, when the two of them were going to settle down, especially around one o'clock in the morning when everyone was thoroughly drunk.

Then she circulated through the crowd, saying hello to people she recognized, trying hard to remember people's names. Howie was there, his arm around a girl Nancy recognized from an independent movie George had forced her to watch. She didn't expect to see Mike and Jan there, but she was disappointed anyway. Whenever the party became too much, Jan was always good for a breath of fresh air outside or a drink refill, and Ned around Mike—Ned always seemed happy around Mike. It had taken her a while to stop feeling a momentary flash of guilt whenever she saw Mike, but that awful case and all its aftermath was practically forgotten, among the four of them.

The terrible emptiness she had felt when Ned had walked away from her that night, after breaking up with her, was the clearest sign she had ever felt that losing him for good would be the single worst thing she could ever experience.

But he was out here, without her, and she couldn't think about it too long or she would get upset.

Howie had been drafted onto a pro team. Andy had been drafted too, and the woman hanging on _his_ arm looked like an anorexic lingerie model; her dress was an inch away from becoming a flat-out nightie. Nancy recognized Jordana, who had dated Howie back at Emerson and looked great. She was a few pounds heavier, but it suited her well, and she danced with utter abandon outside on the glass-covered pool. She greeted Nancy with an exuberant hug.

Then, Nancy was pretty sure she saw Shawn Ammon, near the keg.

She found Ned laughing about something with Maury and Trent, and grabbed his arm. "Nan, you okay?" Ned asked, a wide smile still on his face.

"I think I just saw fucking _Shawn Ammon_."

"Oh, yeah," Maury said, with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Great guy."

Nancy's mouth dropped open. "So, would you mind giving me his number? I have a friend..."

Ned burst out laughing again. "Bess wouldn't know what to do with herself."

"She'd know _exactly_ what to do with herself," Nancy returned, fluttering her eyelashes.

After a mishap with the first few flaming Dr. Peppers, they switched over to Irish car bombs and skittle bombs and Jager bombs, and Nancy downed two skittle bombs and was halfway through her third when another greeting cry went up.

Nancy had already seen Michael in the crowd, and David Clark, and Regina Polk, who was going by a single name Nancy couldn't quite remember and fronting a popular all-girl rock band. Ned was loving the party, and she could tell; Nancy didn't generally get very starstruck, but she also didn't generally rub elbows with the creator of one of the most popular internet sites currently in existence. And this was the kind of thing Ned would be doing here. He'd be going to these kinds of parties and hanging out with these kinds of people and—

Nancy looked down at her drink. Her mood would only get worse if she kept drinking. Or maybe it would cheer her up.

She downed the rest of her drink and glanced up at Ned. She could remember how natural, how at-ease he had seemed when his cousin had encouraged him to go into modeling, maybe do a little acting. She had always been aware of how handsome he was, but out here, among all these people, it was all the more obvious. He _fit in_ here. _She_ was the sore thumb.

"Austin!" Maury called out in greeting. Austin Finch had walked in with Jeff Sykes and Melinda Howard, and Tom Whitford was close behind. Austin—it took Nancy a moment, through the haze of alcohol, but she finally placed the name. He had been president of the frat when Ned had pledged. Tom Whitford had been the same year, and he was incredibly handsome, in a chiseled-jaw dark-haired smoldering-eyes sort of way. For the girls or guys who were into that sort of thing. Which Nancy admittedly kind of—really—was. He had the most amazing piercing blue eyes, and he had never given Nancy a second glance. And she was okay with that. Very okay. She was married.

She touched her wedding ring. Yep. Married.

Melinda was brash and had an extremely irritating voice, and Nancy took deep, spiteful satisfaction when she noted that the skirt she wore didn't flatter her at all.

Ned's fingers brushed hers and she glanced up at him, blushing a little. It was okay for her to _look_. Ned _looked._ At those fucking porn videos, for one.

"I need another drink," he said, and something about his face didn't look quite right.

"I'm sorry," Nancy said, once they were in the kitchen. "I—was I staring?"

Ned was actually staring at _her_ , and then he turned to the shot glasses. He poured two shots of Jager and Nancy grabbed one, tossing it back neat, coughing a little. Ned chuckled when he put the shot down. "Uh, that one was actually for me," he told her, pouring another set.

Yeah, _that_ was another tradition too—Ned getting so incredibly fucking drunk that she had to walk him upstairs, and then taking advantage of him or letting him take advantage of her, depending on who was more intoxicated. Moaning that she wanted him _so much_ , wanted to feel him inside her _so much,_ while he held back, or protesting that they couldn't even while her hips were jerking against the glide of his fingers between her legs.

And that thought made her wet, made her wonder if there were any unoccupied guest bedrooms that they could claim for a little while. Because God, she had missed him, and getting off herself just wasn't the same. She loved to strain up against him, closing her eyes as he mastered her with rough kisses, when they were desperate and just at the point of breaking and then they were _one_ , together, perfect, and nothing, _nothing_ ever felt as good as that.

Maybe it was good, that her work and now his had kept them apart so often during their marriage. The more sex they had, the more she seemed to _need_ it.

That train of thought was derailed a second before she grabbed for his hand when someone else walked in. "Nickerson! And is this..."

"Nancy," Nancy chimed in, doing a little curtsy and then giggling as Tom shook Ned's hand. "It's been a while."

"Definitely has," Tom said, and Nancy didn't miss the way his gaze dropped, then sharpened with approval as it met hers again. "You two look great."

"You too," Ned said, as Austin and Melinda came in. Nancy was proud of keeping her polite smile in place and shaking Melinda's hand without slapping her—and Nancy had no problem with her, honestly, but her _laugh_ and that hideous skirt and, ugh. She had just never liked her, and she didn't know why.

Tom and Austin and Melinda left with their drinks and Ned just picked up the entire Jager bottle and took a long, swift gulp.

"You okay?"

Ned's face twisted in a small grimace as he brought the bottle down. "Yeah," he said.

"You sure?"

He shrugged and she considered for a second before picking up the bottle of vodka and pouring herself a shot.

Ned was making fabulous process toward being totally smashed when they walked back into the living room, their hands joined. She hated being sober around him when he was drunk, and she wasn't sober, not by a long shot, but she didn't relish the idea of _both_ of them kneeling on the bathroom floor all night. Even so, her rum and coke contained a double shot but definitely didn't taste like it.

She was going to overshoot, she fucking knew it.

Maury had turned to one of the music stations on his television and they were listening to the music that had been popular back when Ned had been at Omega Chi, and the more drunk guys were singing along. Nancy was just a little surprised that Maury was letting this go on—but then, he could afford to have the drink stains steam-cleaned out of the carpet, to replace whatever was broken.

Ned had been pulled into a retelling of the football season his senior year when Nancy whispered, "I'll be right back."

"I'll come with you," he said, squeezing her hand.

"It's okay," she told him. "It'll just be a second. I just have to find a bathroom."

He didn't release her hand, though, and on the third try they found an unoccupied bathroom. Nancy closed the door, looking up at her husband. "I really do just need to pee," she told him.

Ned shrugged, and when she sat down he idly glanced through the contents of the medicine cabinet, then splashed water on his face. She put herself back in order and washed her hands, and he smiled at her when she took his hand again.

"What were you afraid of?" she asked, searching his eyes. Because she had had no intention of walking over and striking up a conversation with Tom. She generally loved how rough Ned was with her when he was insanely jealous, but the way he was acting tonight, and how drunk he was, made her doubt that would end well.

Ned opened his mouth and closed it again. "Can't a guy just really miss his wife?" he said finally. "Because, baby, I have _missed_ you."

She leaned up to kiss him just as someone knocked loudly on the bathroom door. "Just a _second_ ," she called back, irritated. "Well, I guess I can understand that."

"Haven't you missed me?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Whenever I wake up and see the bed empty beside me."

"And that's all?" Ned had slipped his arms around her waist, and his face was very close to hers.

"And cooking for one sucks."

"And...?"

"And I don't have a single dildo that feels as good as your cock," she whispered huskily, and gasped when he gently bit the side of her neck.

"Yeah, my hand is no comparison either."

They left the bathroom, enduring the glare of the waiting probable-bulimics, and headed back to the kitchen. Ned poured himself another shot, and Nancy glanced up at his face, concerned. She had absolutely no fear that he wouldn't be able to perform later—he had _never_ had that problem, even when he was blitzed out of his mind—but it had been quite a long time since she had seen him drink like this.

"You almost ready to go, baby?" Nancy let her fingertips drift from his elbow down to his hand.

Ned glanced at her. "You want to go?"

She stood on her tiptoes, even over her heels, and kissed his earlobe. "I'm _wet_ for you," she whispered. "I've been wet practically since I got on the plane and we're here and I'm drunk enough that you could probably talk me into _anything_..."

Ned tipped another shot back, then pulled her into his arms. "Anything?"

"Except for that one thing. Because I haven't seen Yvonne at this party."

Ned chuckled and kissed her, hard. "Tease."

She brought her mouth close to his ear again. "Tell me how many times you've been hard for me."

"I can't count them all," he whispered back, above the shouts and laughter from the rest of the party. "Every morning. Every night. Every time I hear your voice on the phone, every time I think about you..."

She planted a soft, teasing kiss on his lips. "Then let's get out of here," she whispered.

"Can we... stop and get a bottle on the way back?"

Nancy closed her eyes for a second. "Sure," she murmured. She could get it out of his hands once they made it back to his room.

Their goodbyes took another half an hour, and at least he only took one more shot that she knew of. Was this what he was doing every weekend he was out here, she wondered. They had married so soon after his graduation, and she knew that he had gotten blitzed _a lot_ at Omega Chi, but she had thought it was out of his system.

The cab driver was obliging enough to take them by a liquor store, and Nancy came out with a medium-sized bottle of rum. At least rum wasn't terribly strong.

She and Ned made out all the way back to his room, but she made him wait as she changed into her nightgown. She opened the bathroom door and struck a pose, noting with some dismay that the rum bottle was open, but at least he hadn't tossed back half of it already.

Ned looked at her, his eyes wide and dark with desire. The nightie was thin blue mesh, the cups tied with a black ribbon, and she wore a miniscule black g-string underneath.

"God," he breathed. "Baby..."

His voice was wavering and she walked over and put her palm against his cheek. Then she gazed at him, concerned. He was too pale.

"Ned, you okay?"

He ran a hand through his hair. "Uh... I need some soda," he said, and started glancing around the room.

Swiftly Nancy went to her purse, shook out a handful of change, and put a thick robe over her nightie. She took one of the spare cards and flew to the ice machine, but the vending machine next to it was out of order. The one on the next floor was okay, though.

She came back with a sweating can of soda and was relieved to see that the cap was back on the rum. "Here," she told him, and Ned popped the cap and took a few swift gulps, sighing as he put the can down. "God, I'm fucked up," he sighed, and tipped his head back to gaze up at her.

Nancy gave him a little smile. "Well... I mean, if you aren't feeling... up to it..." She swung her suitcase up onto the bed, noting that she had sobered up really fucking quickly. Whenever she was drunk and found herself in a stressful situation—like the time she had just downed five shots in a row in a bar in Madrid when she had spotted an operative who was really, _really_ supposed to be dead—she was able to get back to sober, or close enough, very quickly. From the expression on her husband's face, she was in for a night of it. She picked up the supplies she had brought with her and dumped them on the bed. A bullet vibrator, a cock ring meant to hold the vibrator, a handful of condoms, a travel-sized bottle of flavored lube that she'd wanted to try for a while, and—

"What's that," Ned said softly, pointing at the last item.

"Oh. Free gift," she said, picking up the package. "If you're in the mood..."

Ned made a quiet noise and then went into the bathroom, and she heard him retching violently. Hmm. She picked up the bullet and disassembled it, making sure it was ready, and put it back together again. Sounded like she was on her own for tonight, which was a damn shame. She _really_ was almost aching for him.

"Baby, you okay?" she called when she heard the toilet flush.

Ned came out a moment later, his face dripping from where he had splashed it, and walked over to the rum bottle. She made a soft noise in protest, but he lifted it and took a long sip, then chased it with the soda. He wiped his mouth and her eyes were narrowed when he glanced at her.

"You... were talking about... using it on you," he said, and his voice was shaking a little.

Nancy's brow cleared. "Yeah, of course," she said softly. "I know how you feel about that..."

The free gift—the item that had upset him so much, apparently—was a butt plug, red rubber, formed of two graduated balls and an anchor-shaped base. It looked just a little larger than she had expected, but it wasn't quite as thick as Ned's cock, and so she thought it would probably work.

For her, anyway. Ned had never shown any interest whatsoever in any sort of ass play, and she had been perfectly willing to go along with whatever he wanted. Any suspicious movements on her part when she had him tied up, especially in that area, immediately provoked the safe word.

He sat down on the bed. "I..." He shook his head, then buried his face in his hands.

"You're scaring me," she said, frankly, and sat down beside him. "Like, take you to the hospital and get your stomach pumped scaring me."

He shook his head. "It's not that. Not that. Ugh." He glanced at the rum bottle.

"Ned," she whispered. "Please... please don't. You've had enough, okay?"

"I—I didn't want to tell you. I _don't_ want to tell you."

"Don't want to tell me what," Nancy said, her voice deceptively calm. Inside she could feel her blood running cold.

"Austin..."

"Yeah, I saw him there," she said, relaxing a little, glad the next word he'd said hadn't been a girl's name, hadn't been 'I'm so sorry, Nancy...'

"When I... I pledged the frat..."

"He was president," Nancy prompted, once Ned trailed off.

"Yeah." Ned swallowed hard, then reached for the soda again. "I mean, there was the usual bullshit—drink until you can't stand up, being someone's—bitch—you know, slave for a week—" He shuddered. "The pledge shit, you know? And... we were almost in, and then we had to go down to the basement, and, God, I was already half-lit, and we just kept drinking..."

Nancy nodded. Ned wasn't looking anywhere near her.

"And they said, 'oh, get your clothes off,' and... I don't know, it blurs, there was this other time, maybe, little... outfits..."

Nancy remembered the schoolgirl uniform she had worn for him, back when they had started their little game, and tilted her head.

"There was this... thing. It... it seems like it looked like that but it was bigger, and... _shit._ " Ned dry-washed his face and Nancy put her hand, palm up, between them, afraid to touch him when he was like this.

"What happened?" she whispered.

Ned shot her a swift, miserable glance. "You—you're going to think that I—"

"Baby, it can't be worse than I'm imagining."

He bit his lip. "I wasn't first—by the time he got to me I knew what he was going to do and—and he—there was no fucking lube or anything—"

Nancy let out a small, silent sigh. "He used something like that on you. Austin did."

Ned nodded, once, his fingers digging into his knees, so hard they turned white. "And I... _fuck,_ Nan... I was drunk, we were all drunk, and I... reacted..."

He had hit him? Nancy thought silently, but the tone of his voice, the look on his face...

"You got hard," she said softly.

Ned let out a frustrated cry. "Not—not totally, but... _shit_. You must—you must think I—"

Nancy shook her head and reached for him, forcing him to face her. "I must think what?" she asked him. Then she tilted her head. "Did he—touch you—"

Ned jerked away from her. "Oh my God. No. No. They just laughed and went to the next guy..."

Nancy groaned in frustration. "Ned, how many fucking times have I said to you that what they did to you was fucking _hazing_ —"

"It wasn't," he said, defensively.

"Then what do you call that?" she asked, standing up. "I mean, I'm sure you didn't _ask_ for that to happen to you—"

"They... made us... say..."

"That you wanted it?" Nancy rolled her eyes. "So dude fucking _raped_ you—"

Ned stood up, grabbing her arm. "He didn't. They didn't. It was just—this thing."

"This thing that you are so deeply ashamed of that we've been married for _years_ and this is the first time you've actually gotten the nerve to talk about it." She gazed at him sympathetically. "Ned, that _happens_. It happens to guys. Was it... because he did that to you, that you were so upset?"

"I'm not _gay_. I didn't... it was just so..."

She shook her head. "I know that. It'd be hard to _find_ a guy straighter than you."

He chuckled a little, relieved. "It's just, when I saw that."

"You thought..." She cupped his face in her hands. "I didn't know. I'm sorry."

He nodded. "Ever since that... happened. I've... thought about it. _God._ " He broke off, a disgusted look on his face.

"It's okay," she told him.

"No, it's _not_!" he said, sitting down again. "Because you—if we did something like that you wouldn't—"

She sat down beside him again. "Ned," she said slowly, "do you _want_ me to... try it? With you?"

He let out a long, explosive sigh. "What are you—you wouldn't—you'll think—?"

"I'll think what?" Nancy said, keeping her voice even although she was shaking a little. "Babe, considering the shit we do to each other in bed—or in that damn sex swing—"

Ned chuckled.

"If you... if you want to try it—I mean, _Cosmo_ has been telling me for years that a lot of guys like it, and it does _not_ make you gay. It doesn't. If it makes you happy..." She shrugged.

He looked down again. "If we do this... we do not talk about it. Okay?" He glanced up at her.

"You mean we don't talk during—"

"I mean that the next time you and Bess and George get together—"

"I don't tell them _everything_ ," Nancy said defensively. "Just... almost everything."

"Well, this is off the fucking list."

"I'm not repeating _anything_ we've said tonight," she told him. "I promise."

He nodded. "I'm sorry."

She reached for him, and gave him a hug. "Sweetheart, it's okay. So... this is why you... oh, baby, what were you afraid of?"

"That you'd be disgusted," he mumbled. "That you'd think there was something wrong with me."

She shook her head, then kissed him softly. "You are still the drop-dead handsome, incredibly sexy man I married," she told him. "Baggage and all. And if you ever want to try it... I am totally fine with that. Because at least _this_ time, it's your choice."

Ned nodded. "I think... if I can take another shot..."

She raised her eyebrows at him. "Oh," she whispered.

He took his shot and vanished into the bathroom to wash up, and as soon as the door was closed, Nancy whipped out her cell phone, pulled up her web browser and typed in a search string. By the time Ned came back, he looked even more nervous, and his nervousness was fighting his inebriation.

Nancy had cleared off the bed, leaving the lube, the condoms, and the butt plug, out of the packaging. She patted the comforter next to her and Ned sat down, glancing at the rum bottle again.

"We don't have to do this," she whispered again.

"Do you not want to?"

Nancy looked down. "I... I'm curious," she admitted.

"Because it feels so good for you?"

She opened her mouth, then closed it again. "Do you... do you want me to be honest?"

Ned raised an eyebrow. "Uh, yes?"

"I do it because you like it," she said.

"And you don't?"

She shrugged a little. "It's okay, but what I get off on is everything else we do."

Ned looked down. "So..."

"It does turn me on," she said, putting her hand over his. "Any time you _touch_ me, it turns me on."

He took a deep breath. "Same here," he admitted.

"So those times I... got a little too close..."

He flipped his hand over and laced his fingers between hers. "I was afraid of liking it too much," he said. "Of... freaking you out."

She smiled. "If I see another girl or guy in here, _that_ will freak me out," she told him. "Uh, clown makeup... anything that we should only be doing alone in the privacy of a bathroom... or having sex in water. But this? I'm just glad you finally trusted me enough to tell me."

He gave her a small half-smile. "So what do we do now."

She looked at him. "Well, why don't you let me drive for a while."

She pulled him to his feet, then stood on her tiptoes, and when she kissed him he tasted like a liquor store. She squeezed her eyes tight shut but slipped her tongue into his mouth, and after a moment he responded, sliding his arms around her.

"You're gonna tell me when you're about to..." he trailed off, as she trailed kisses down his neck.

"Yeah, you'll know," she whispered, unbuttoning his shirt. She took both of them off, then sat down on the bed and stroked her fingertips down his chest, brushing her thumbs over his nipples. She pulled him onto the bed and he straddled her hips as she trailed kisses down his chest, gently stroking her fingers down his sides, in a teasingly light caress.

"Nan," Ned whispered, and she moved back, unfastening his pants. She slipped them off, pushed his boxers down, and when he was naked she kissed him again, standing on her tiptoes, stroking her fingertips down his back. He tensed a little when she very gently brushed her fingertips over his ass, then stroked back up his hips, and when she reached between his thighs, he was definitely aroused.

She pulled back and kissed the corner of his mouth. "Relax, baby," she whispered, and then he grabbed her and kissed her hard again. His hips surged and she broke away with a soft sigh, leading him to the bed.

He was on his back and he hesitated when she told him to put his knees up, but he did, closing his eyes when she stroked his cock, slowly. "I want you to enjoy this," she whispered. "If anything doesn't feel right, let me know—if you want to just stop, let me know—but don't be shy about telling me."

He nodded and she stroked his cock a few more times, then let her fingers drift over his balls, then below, to his perineum. She saw his abs tense, and he blew out a long breath.

She reached for the condoms and tore one open, slipping it onto two fingers, then put a few large drops of lube onto the tip, over her fingertips. He was looking up at her, directly, and she met his gaze as she stroked her fingers down his cock again, leaving him slick, then moved down again.

When he tightened his fingers into a fist, she pulled back a little, stroking his inner thighs with her free hand, leaning down to trail her lips over his abs. She licked the tip of his cock and he tensed again, his hand creeping toward her head.

"Baby..."

"You want it?" she whispered, peering at him through her lashes. "I thought it would help..."

"Yeah," Ned groaned, and she pushed his knees back further, tipping his hips to give herself better access. She let her fingers drift down, warmed by his body, and gently rimmed his asshole.

He trembled and she took his cock in her mouth, taking him as deep as she dared, leaving him slick with her saliva and the lube. She knelt over him, gently circling him with her fingers again, again, and the tip of his cock brushed the back of her tongue as she very gently, very slowly pressed her fingers into his tight asshole.

Ned blew out a long breath as she pulled her fingers out, stroking the area around his ass as she took his cock again, stroking his shaft with her tongue. She felt his erection jump when she slipped her fingers very gently against his asshole again.

Ned tensed, arching as she sucked his cock, gently cupping his balls as she worked her fingers into him. She pulled back for some more lube and glanced at him, and he wasn't telling her to stop, wasn't crying off.

"You okay?"

He blinked. "Why aren't you naked?"

"Because this is about you."

"Then you should be naked."

"Not yet."

She gave him a little smile and began again, trailing kisses down his cock, licking her way back up. The flavored lube wasn't so bad, but she didn't love it—the little noises he was making, though, made her smile, and she flicked the tip of her tongue over his balls before moving back up again. She slipped her fingers in to circle him again, then gently, slowly, pushed in.

Ned made a soft sound.

"Okay?" she whispered, pulling back to look at him.

"Yeah," he said slowly, and she went down on him again, pressing a little deeper. What she had read had said—

Ned sucked in a sharp breath as her fingertips found a small bump. "Oh, _fuck_ ," he hissed, and his hips trembled as she took him as deep in her mouth as she dared, the head of his cock bumping the back of her throat. His fingers slid into her hair and he groaned as she stroked the bump, and then he was holding her head and thrusting his hips, fucking her mouth as she fingered him, tracing a come-hither gesture against his prostate. "Fuck, oh, _fuck_ ," he groaned, and tears slipped down her cheeks as she fought her gag reflex. She stroked him in a slow, irregular rhythm, and he cried out, thrusting more rapidly.

She forced herself back a little, her tears dripping onto his hips as she swirled her tongue around him, and she tasted his precum. She gently worked her fingers in a little further, stroking a little harder against that small bump.

"Nancy, _fuck, fuck, oh shit, baby,_ I'm gonna come, _shit_ —"

She bobbed down onto him, moving with his thrusts, and when she stroked her fingertips against him one more time he came with a cry, his hips rocking hard. She felt the hot spurt of his cum against the back of her throat and pulled back so she could swallow, her gaze flicking up to his as she slowly, gently pulled her fingers out of him.

Ned was panting, flushed, slick with sweat. "Shit," he whispered.

"Was it..."

"Shit, baby," he whispered, reaching for her. "Oh, shit. That—was it okay?"

"Well, it got a little tricky," she admitted, pulling the condom off her fingers.

"Was that—did you cry?"

"Gag reflex," she explained, climbing off the bed to dispose of the condom. "Did you like it?"

"Yeah," he murmured. "Fuck. Get over here, baby. It was... I don't know, I just... it felt like liking it would mean..."

She slipped into bed next to him, stroking his cheek. "Would mean you like it," she said. "And if you want to do it again sometime... I think we could work up to the plug, but... not yet."

He nodded and kissed her forehead. "And I think you said something about being wet for me..."

She moved back to look at him. "I know you have a short recovery time, but damn."

He stroked his hand down her side, plucking at the hem of her gown, sliding it above the side of her g-string. "Remember why you married me?" he said with a wicked grin, then stuck out his tongue.

She giggled, rolling onto her back, and Ned moved over her, trailing kisses down her chest, between her breasts. He untied the ribbon but suckled against her through the thin fabric, and she tilted her hips, arching, moving restlessly in response. He nipped at her other breast, gently biting her, and she cried out.

"Baby," she whimpered. "Please, _fuck_ , I want you inside me."

"We've got a lot of time to catch up on," he murmured against her belly. "What do you want me to do to you, baby."

"Suck my clit," she moaned. "Make me come."

He opened her gown, and she arched up to let him pull her panties off. As soon as they were free of her ankles she opened her legs wide as she could for him, and he came back to her, nuzzling against her inner thighs, then sliding his tongue up the slit of her sex until the tip touched her clit.

She hissed, her hips jerking. "Yeah, baby," she urged him, her fingers sliding into his hair. "Oh fuck I've missed this so much— _fuck_ —"

He closed his lips around her clit, bit her gently, and she panted, her shoulders jerking, her head tipping back. Her grip tightened on him as he suckled the sensitive bit of flesh, stroking the tip with his tongue, and she began to thrust her hips, whimpering.

"You taste so good," he told her, then circled her clit with his tongue. "Let me hear you."

"Oh," she breathed, and grabbed her breast, alternately pinching her nipples. "Yes, yes, _fuck,_ yes, so good..."

He bit her inner thigh, then suckled, and when she whined her protest he let his fingertips flutter over her sex, to gently tease the slick flesh. He bit her other thigh, then traced the tip of his tongue over the seam that marked the join of her thigh and her leg. He nipped at her clit and she shivered.

He pulled back and she gazed up at him, trembling, still cupping her breast. "I need to—I need to do something," he whispered, and the look in his eyes made her think that he was going to do to her what she had done to him, that despite her reassurance it still made him feel uncomfortable.

"What is it, baby," she whispered, her fingers stilling.

"Give yourself to me," he whispered.

She closed her eyes for a second—fuck, now that she wasn't worried anymore, her buzz had come back full force—and nodded.

He slipped off the bed and grabbed her, flipping her onto her stomach, and she clenched in anticipation as he swept up his tie. He tied her wrists to the corner of the bedframe with it. "Bend your knees," he ordered her, and she pulled her knees under her hips, in supplicant position, her ass up in the air, ready for him.

She heard him open a condom wrapper and closed her eyes. As long as he fingered her, she didn't care if he got himself off with anal.

"Tell me how much you want it."

"So much," she whimpered, arching to brush her nipples against the rough surface of the comforter. "Baby, I want you so much, you're the only one, _please_."

He squeezed her ass, then spanked her, soothing the sting with a light caress as she gasped. "Mine," he growled. "You're mine. Say it."

Her stomach clenched. "I'm yours."

"I'm going to fuck you," he said. "Until you can't move."

"Please," she begged, rubbing the sensitive tips of her breasts against the bed. "Oh my God _please_."

He moved and she heard him open the lube, and she let her forehead press against the mattress, panting for breath. He traced his fingers down the line of her ass, until he was gently circling her asshole, and she gasped, her hips jerking. He traced her again and then gently slid his condom-encased fingers inside, working slowly to relax the tight flesh, and she grunted, panting for breath. "Touch me," she begged, swallowing against her dry throat. "Please, baby."

He spanked her again and she trembled. "Tell me you want it," he ordered her.

She took a deep breath. "Put your cock inside me," she murmured, her voice husky. "I want to feel every bit of you, I want you to fuck me sore, baby, I want you so much."

"Tell me you want it here," he told her, his fingers making a shallow come-hither gesture inside her ass.

She sighed. "Come on," she moaned. "You want to punish me, baby? Make it so I can't sit down tomorrow, I'm so tight for you, so hot and so tight and you know you want it."

She was actually clenching just a little when he slipped his fingers out of her, and then he left the bed to dispose of the condom and unwrap another.

Then she felt pressure against her ass again, and—

"Shit," she gasped out, two tears slipping down her cheeks as he worked the first bulb of the butt plug into her tight asshole. " _Shit_ ," she groaned, and then he spanked her, and she trembled.

"You'll take it," he told her. "You'll take it and you'll like it."

"Yes," she whimpered. "Yes, Ned, please, feels so good."

She cried out as he worked the second bulb in, and she felt _full_ , uncomfortably tight around it. He had slicked it with plenty of lube, thank God.

Then he moved behind her and boosted her hips a little, and she held her breath as his erect cock bumped against her sex. He guided the tip just inside her and then he brushed his thumb over the button of her clit and she shivered, panting. "Yes, _yes, fuck me,_ " she begged him, crying out as he thrust brutally to the hilt inside her.

"You want it," he growled.

"Yes, _fuck_ ," she sobbed out, as he pulled back and slammed into her again. "Oh my God feels _so good_ , baby, please, more, _more_."

"Say it," he ordered her. "Say how good it feels when I'm inside you, _fuck_ , baby, your pussy is so wet..."

"I've been _dying_ for this," she told him, her hips trembling as she met his thrusts. "Oh my _God_ , baby, so hot, so hard, oh God, you feel so good, _shit._ "

He pinched her clit and she let out a breathy scream. "You little slut," he growled. "You cream yourself, you finger yourself just thinking about this, but it isn't good enough, is it."

"No," she cried out, and _fuck_ , she was so wet that his thrusts were audible. "So _big_ —fuck—"

"Yeah," he grunted, thrusting harder. "Say my name, baby."

" _Ned_ ," she cried out, her voice rising to a scream as he bumped the butt plug, pushing it a little deeper into her, and pushed the full length of his cock into her sex. "Oh my God _Ned,_ please, yes, oh fuck _yes, yes_ —"

He rubbed her clit harder, flicking it with the edge of his thumbnail, and she screamed again, her hips circling, all of her trembling as she met his thrusts. "Yeah," Ned grunted, fucking her harder. "Yeah, so tight, so fucking wet, baby, _mine_ —"

"Yours," she gasped out, and her eyes rolled back as she began to come. Her pants rose into high whimpers, a ragged scream, as her sex clenched tight and slick around his, as her ass squeezed tight against the bulbs. "Oh my _God_ ," she gasped, and he kept fondling her clit, drawing her orgasm out as he fucked her with short sharp strokes.

When he finally buried himself inside her and came again, she intentionally clenched hard around him and he groaned, shivering. She buried her face in the pillow and let out a long groan, her inner thighs slick with her arousal and sweat. Ned panted over her, one of his hands still loosely cupped between her thighs, and she pulled against her bonds a little.

He slipped out of her and she pulled her knees together, wincing as he began to work the butt plug out of her. He pulled it free and went to the bathroom, and when came back, she shivered as he gently wiped the slick trace of them from her thighs. By then she had worked her hands free, and she rolled onto her back, her arms still up.

Ned tossed the cloth back into the bathroom and looked down at her. "You okay?"

She nodded lazily. "Are you?"

He stretched out beside her. "I think so."

She arched and chuckled when his gaze slid down to her bare breasts. "It's okay," she told him, and touched his face. "So you just needed to... get the upper hand again."

"Yeah," he admitted. "Sorry."

She shrugged. "I like it when you order me around."

"Well, there's nothing more flattering than when you're begging for it."

Her lazy smile widened into a grin. "I fucking _dream_ about your cock," she told him. "God, you feel _amazing_ when you're inside me. So big and thick, like you shouldn't all be able to fit in there, but _fuck_."

He brushed a lock of hair off her cheek. "And you think we'll really be able to work up to the one I just put inside you."

"Maybe." She rolled onto her side and drew his face to hers for a kiss. "If you want. But the way you were... getting into it? _God_ , I think if I'd been riding you while I did that..."

Ned shivered. "You riding me is always good," he admitted.

She kissed him again, then sat up so she could shrug out of her gown and toss it off the bed. He moved under the covers with her.

"So... there was some other thing you brought..."

Nancy thought for a moment. "Oh. The cock ring." She grinned. "You should have seen the dirty look the x-ray machine guy gave me when I was going through security. The bullet goes inside it."

"Mmm." He slipped his arms around her. "Well, if you're actually able to move in the morning..."

"Baby, if you put that thing on, I will fuck your damn brains out. You won't be able to peel me off you for an hour."

Ned chuckled. "Can't wait."


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter by killingstreak.

“Hey, I finally got you.”

“Hi baby. My phone was on silent and I didn't feel it vibrating.”

“So... how's your day been?” Nancy asked as she sprawled on the couch back at home, muting the television. She could picture him smiling.

“Good,” Ned replied and she could hear him click open the door to his room.

“Just got back?”

Ned sighed. “Yeah. It was some kind of party. More like networking and just getting to know all the big shots, you know.”

Nancy smiled as she stretched, trying to stifle her yawn. “Must be quite glamorous.”

“It was,” Ned agreed, and he could hear the fatigue in her voice. “You should go to bed.”

“And miss talking to you?” Nancy shot back. “No way.”

Ned chuckled. “I love you, babe.”

“And I'm sure there must have been a lot of gorgeous people at the party...” She trailed off and even though she had tried to keep her voice neutral, Ned knew. Of course he would.

Nancy had to be the most jealous person he ever knew. Well, besides himself.

“You know I only have eyes for you,” Ned said softly. He couldn't quite bring himself to treat this lightly, to just laugh it off as a paranoid question. It was honestly nothing but he knew Nancy wouldn't feel safe if she wasn't there to witness it herself.

He used to get angry at that before, angry at how suspicious she seemed, but it was only later that he realized it wasn't so much that she didn't trust him. It was because she didn't trust _herself_. He never saw her that way, never did think that someone who so fearlessly chased after criminals could so often lack confidence in herself. He blamed the media, blamed society's thinking for causing her to think that because her breasts weren't big enough, because she wasn't thin enough, because she wasn't _enough_ , he would find someone else and leave her one day.

They had been so much better in the last year or so, but ever since he moved to Los Angeles, he found himself sensing that unasked question every time they spoke, texted, emailed each other.

_What if you find someone else? There is_ definitely _going to be someone better out there._

He had his own apartment now and the sex each time she flew up to meet him had been _great_. He missed her so much that on the particularly lonely nights, he found himself wondering if he could last through this. If she didn't relocate, if he took the job permanently, and they spent their weekends just shuttling between Chicago and Los Angeles, when all they had was two days out of seven—if they were lucky—what would happen?

“I know,” she whispered back, and he didn't quite know what to say.

He heard the rustling of a bag of chips and crunching noises. “Chips? At this hour?” he asked, trying for a teasing tone, but he couldn't quite manage it.

“Always wanted to, but you know,” she replied and he could see her shrugging those delicate shoulders of hers. He wanted to trace the lines of her collarbone, with his fingers or his tongue, either would do. “Somebody would always finish them off before I could get to it.”

Her tone was light and Ned closed his eyes for a second. They used to fight over the bag of chips, or at least play-fight because every time he offered it to her, she never did really want them. She was conscious about her diet even though he would love her to put on a few pounds. On some of her more straining cases, he could swear that she was slowly disappearing from his sight. Slowly fading away until she was just a bag of skin and bones, running on coffee and pure adrenaline.

“Thought someone didn't want to get fat,” Ned teased her back and she laughed. Just a little.

“Not like you'll be seeing my potbelly this week.”

He could detect the disappointment in her voice and he badly wanted to hug her. To take her in his arms and just hold her.

“Hey,” he said softly, but then she was right. She had come up to see him every weekend without fail—and part of him secretly loved it, loved how this distance forced her to change her schedule, tweak it, just for _him_ alone, and he had never felt like this before, never felt like she ever put him first—but he had told her that he wouldn't have any time for her this weekend. His schedule had been jam-packed with back-to-back meetings, conferences, meetings with clients, and even though he wanted Nancy to be waiting for him in his hotel room when he came stumbling in all intoxicated and weary at three in the morning more than anything else, it wouldn't be fair to her to fly over when he couldn't spare any real time for her.

And he was afraid of the goodbyes. Every goodbye seemed worse than the previous one. He would hold her in his arms, wouldn't let her leave his bed, wouldn't let her out of his sight.

She seemed just as desperate. When they made love over and over again she would cling to him, inhale his scent and just breathe him in.

It seemed a million times worse than when he was still at Emerson. He couldn't quite figure out what had changed.

He shook his head. “I'm sorry.”

“It isn't your fault,” Nancy said, shrugging, as she turned off the television and pushed herself off the sofa. She let out a yawn and Ned chuckled a little when he heard it.

“I miss you. You have to know that.”

“I love you too,” Nancy told him as she stifled another yawn with the back of her hand. “And I _have_ to go to bed now if I'm going to be useful tomorrow.”

Ned whistled. “Whoa, it's two in the morning there, Nan.”

“One,” Nancy corrected him.

“Think I'm gonna skip the shower,” Ned mumbled into the phone and she knew that he was already on the bed, all ready to go to sleep. The thing about Ned was that he could sleep anytime, anywhere. She was always fascinated by how fast he fell asleep.

She giggled. “You'll stink.”

“And then I'll wrap my arms around you, tight.” Ned replied teasingly.

“Goodnight, Ned.”

“Goodnight, Nan.”

-

Nancy had just cleared three-quarter of the files off her desk when her cellphone rang. Sighing, she fished it out of her bag. It was a long day, the kind she would usually spend counting down to when she could get off.

“Hi Nan!” Bess's chirpy voice greeted her and Nancy automatically smiled. It was good to hear from her again.

“Hi Bess,” Nancy replied warmly. “What's up?"

“Well, there's this show that I've been _dying_ to catch and—”

“And Jon dragged George away for the weekend and Nathan would _never_ watch it with you and so you're calling me,” Nancy supplemented and she was smiling.

“No wonder you're the PI,” Bess said, laughing, and Nancy snorted.

“ _Bess_. That's like the only time you'd call me instead of Nathan or George.”

“Hey,” Bess protested. “I _do_ call you to go out for lunch.”

“To split that turkey sandwich with me so you won't feel so guilty,” Nancy said, not unkindly, and Bess giggled.

“Come on,” she pleaded. “Please please please? There will be Channing _Tatum_. Those abs, that body...”

“He, uh, put on a little weight, didn't he?” Nancy remarked as she unwrapped her sandwich and took a bite.

“ _Still_ hot,” Bess said staunchly. “Please Nan? Please say you'll go? George says she has better things to do and she would rather _die_ than watch it.” She sighed dramatically. “I can't imagine what though! What can be better than a half-naked Channing Tatum?”

Nancy snorted. “Bess.”

“Shut up. You have Ned, I don't,” Bess said grumpily and Nancy was just about to remind her about her current beau when Bess groaned.

“No, no way, no no no. _Damn._ You're flying to L.A this week, right?”

Nancy had no desire to see the movie—she had planned for Saturday to be a day of laundry and long over-due housekeeping—but the disappointment in Bess's voice caught her. That and the fact that she really hadn't seen Bess in quite a while. Bess tended to practically drop off the radar each time she had a new guy.

“I'm not, actually. Ned's kinda swamped right now and I don't want to make him feel even more guilty that he can't spend any time with me when I'm there.”

“So you'll go?” Bess asked excitedly before she caught herself. “I mean, I know it must suck, having him away so much, missing him and—”

Nancy laughed. “I'll see him next week, no worries. I made him swear. And yes, okay, I'll catch that movie.”

Bess whooped over the line and Nancy laughed as she waited for her to quiet down.

“I have one condition though.”

“Name it.”

“You'll split a popcorn combo with me.”

Bess groaned. “I _can't_. I'm going to start my diet tomorrow and—”

“Sweet or salty?” Nancy teased and Bess giggled.

“Think maybe if you go, I can convince George to come with us?”

Nancy chuckled. “Forget it, Bess. Let's not pull her into this. She's probably over at Jon's for the weekend anyway. Speaking of which, you sure you don't want to ask Nathan instead?”

“Nah,” Bess dismissed. “It's a _love_ story. Ned wouldn't want to watch it either.”

“Well, there's Rachel McAdams. That's good enough for him.”

Bess snorted. “Nathan doesn't like _her_ kind of pretty. Which I don't get. I think she's gorgeous.”

“Mhm,” Nancy agreed. “Well, he likes _you_ , honey, and that's not going to change even if you don't lose that five pounds.”

“You're a real pal, Nancy Drew,” Bess giggled and Nancy smiled.

Scrubbing the floor and the dirty laundry could wait.

-

Ned was irritated that his boss had scheduled him to attend an event on both Saturday and Sunday evening. He had paperwork to do in the afternoon as well so that meant he couldn't actually sleep in either. The people in his line didn't actually keep any proper hours. It was all about deadlines, deadlines and more deadlines. Clients first, sleep later was a motto in the office and Ned stifled a yawn with the back of his hand as he finished vetting the last page of a particularly long proposal.

“Nickerson!” His boss called his name and Ned looked up. There couldn't be yet another stack of work to complete. Even if he was the fastest worker in the company, that was still a little too much.

“The V Project?” he asked knowingly as he stuck his head in, and Ned nodded. What a silly name for a project that was worth so much.

“Just about done. I'll put it on your desk by five,” Ned promised.

His boss waved dismissively and for a second, Ned feverishly imagined that his boss would tell him to take the rest of the day off and catch up on sleep.

“Oh, no hurry. Our client extended the deadline. Think they're having some war going on, something about adding another product into the proposal.” His boss flashed him a grin. “Not that we care though. So long as we still get paid.”

“As long as we get paid,” Ned echoed, smiling although he was really just so tired.

“Oh by the way, about this Saturday's event,” he continued and Ned perked up a little. “A few of the VIPs got held up in another event so we're postponing it. Same goes for Sunday, naturally, since you already know that that's just the follow up for Saturday.”

Ned tried to keep his face passive but a smile was creeping onto his face. “Seriously?”

His boss laughed. “Yeah. You and Malcolm both. Don't party too hard because I still need the paperwork on my desk on Monday.”

Ned grinned. “Definitely.”

-

Ned was humming to himself as he made his way to his apartment, his phone sandwiched between his shoulder and ear.

Nancy didn't pick up and Ned shrugged as it went to voicemail. The last time he called, she had told him that she just got a new lead for a case and would be 'very busy.' She tried to laugh it off, saying that his work came at a good time because then, she could focus all her energy on the case instead of just having mindless sex in his bedroom, but he still felt guilty nevertheless. And a little aroused. He always got aroused each time she talked about sex. He liked the way she said the word _fuck_ , had always watched the way her lips would round and her brows would knit ever so slightly each time she begged him to go deeper, to go faster and _damn_ , when he landed in Chicago tomorrow, he was going to scoop her up in his arms and kiss those lips till they were crushed red.

He tossed his phone on the table and shrugged out of his jacket and had just popped open his can of beer when Nancy called back.

“Hi gorgeous.”

She laughed a little and he loved the way she would blush just a little each time he called her that. “Hey. You called?”

“Just to hear your voice.” Ned pulled his trousers off, settled back on the couch in his boxers and turned on the TV.

“You silly boy,” she scolded him and then she lowered her voice a notch. “If you're calling to get some,” she cleared her throat and Ned chuckled, “let me tell you that I'm sharing a cab with my colleagues and I'm not getting out anytime soon.”

“You sure?” Ned continued to tease.

“Be a good boy,” she hissed and he could imagine her ears turning red. He still found it amusing how she could be all prim and proper in public and turn all kinky in the bedroom.

“So, what are you doing this weekend?” Ned asked casually as he surfed the Delta website for the earliest flight to Chicago.

Nancy sighed and made a disgusted sound. “Laundry. Lots of it. And oh, gonna catch a movie with Bess tomorrow afternoon. _The Vow_... Heard of it? Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 3.5 so I think it's probably pretty decent.”

“Yeah, heard of it. There's Rachel McAdams in it, right?” Ned asked, and Nancy snorted.

“I told Bess you'd totally watch it just for her.”

“Hey, hey, hey,” Ned defended himself. “If there's any movie starring Johnny Depp, _you_ would be first in line.”

“You're right,” Nancy admitted. “Okay, I'm reaching. Don't party too hard tonight, big guy. Don't want you drunk-dialing me in the middle of the night.”

“You mean demanding phone sex.”

Nancy snorted. “You're hopeless.”

Ned grinned as he purchased a ticket for the earliest flight back. “I know.”

-

Nancy looked into the mirror and nodded at her appearance. She had really just wanted to tie her unwashed hair up in a ponytail and throw on a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt but Bess had called her and specifically warned her not to wear _that_.

_But we're just going to the movies_ , she had protested, but Bess won. Nancy had ended up washing her hair and throwing on a long white pocket tee and a pair of leggings. She had put on a random blazer as well to smarten up the look and she had even put on make-up. Even if they were just going to the movies where it was going to be all dark and no one could see how she looked.

-

“Sorry I'm late!” Bess apologized as she tapped Nancy on the shoulder.

Nancy turned and smiled. Bess looked great in her black dress, her blond hair painstakingly teased into curls.

“Well, you got the tickets so at least I didn't have to queue up,” Nancy shrugged as she gestured at the concessions queue with her chin.

“The joy of online booking,” Bess grinned as she passed Nancy her ticket.

Nancy had just handed hers over to the usher when Bess tapped her hand urgently.

“You go in first,” Bess said as she retreated a few steps back. “I left my phone in the car. I'm gonna go get it.”

“You can't use your phone in the movie anyway,” Nancy pointed out, but Bess was already gone. Sighing, she turned and proceeded into the movie screening room so that she wouldn't block the people behind her.

She frowned when she saw the most available seats, right at the corner of the hall, one row from the back. Definitely not the best seats in the house.

This show must be really popular, she thought wryly as she took her seat. Casting a glance around, she noticed the numerous groups clustered at the ends of rows, leaving the middle seats practically inaccessible. She and Bess could always maneuver their way into some of those, bumping into knees and tripping over drinks, if Bess insisted.

She settled comfortably in her seat, waiting for Bess to come back. When the lights went out, Bess still wasn't back yet and Nancy had to stop herself from imagining the worst. Bess could have been abducted, kidnapped, knocked out cold—or just having a very long, sweet telephone call with Nathan. It was probably that.

The movie had started and Nancy looked around again. There weren't as many people as she had expected but perhaps it was because it was still the afternoon. All those times Ned had taken her to the movies, it had been at night and it was _always_ crowded. The opening shot had Channing Tatum already and Nancy grinned a little as she imagined Bess's reaction at missing a single minute of his time on screen.

“About time,” Nancy whispered without taking her eyes off the screen when she felt someone take Bess's seat beside her. “I was thinking you got kidnapped.”

Bess didn't reply but Nancy didn't blame her, because the camera had panned to a very shirtless Channing Tatum. She had a feeling that Bess was awe-struck.

“He does has nice abs,” Nancy chuckled softly. “You were right about that.”

“And how about mine,” Bess leaned in close to her ear to whisper and Nancy jumped in her seat when she whipped her head around and found herself staring at Ned.

“ _Ned_ ,” she gasped and he immediately clamped his hand round her mouth to muffle her voice as he grinned ever so wide, his teeth pearly white.

She pushed his hand away and god, Ned was here, Ned was fucking here in Chicago and—“Where's Bess?”

Ned dismissed her question with a wave. “I, uh, made a little arrangement with her.”

She didn't reply but that look on her face was enough.

“Hey,” he whispered as he cupped her face and kissed her. She leaned into his kiss and _god_ , she missed him so much, missed every single thing about him, from his voice to his touch to his kisses.

“Hey,” she whispered back happily and if they weren't in the damn cinema, she'd have thrown her arms around him in joy.

“Miss me?” Ned asked, bumping his shoulder against hers slightly.

She kissed him hard in answer and when he broke the kiss, they were both panting slightly. Nancy pushed the armrest up and scooted nearer to him, and Ned placed his arm around her.

“I miss watching movies at home with you,” Nancy whispered as she snuggled up to him.

“You mean when I'm just looking down your shirt the whole time and trying to grab that ass of yours.”

Nancy chuckled as she pushed his knee. “You _always_ just think about sex.”

“It's hard to think about anything else when I'm with you.”

“Shh,” Nancy shushed him as Ned held her closer to him, his fingers stroking her arm.

“I don't want to watch this,” Ned complained softly halfway through the movie, and she knew he was getting all bored and fidgety. For her part, she wasn't that into all the usual tearjerker crap.

“You want to go?” she asked softly, looking up at him, and Ned paused for a while before shaking his head.

“Nah. I haven't taken you to the movies in a long time anyway.”

“Aw, thank you,” she smiled up at him. He smiled back a little too sweetly and then she felt his hand rest lightly on her thigh.

She ignored it because sometimes he would just abandon it altogether if she didn't encourage him, but his fingertips slowly shifted up, drifted over to her inner thighs and even though she had leggings on, her skin felt super sensitive, like his touch was electric. She made a very soft noise when his fingers pressed against the join of her thighs, through the thin material of her leggings and her panties.

“Nan,” he whispered into her ear and she shivered as his breath warmed her.

“What,” she whispered back softly, although she knew exactly what he wanted, and her heart was beating so damn fast.

He didn't reply but his hand disappeared under the hem of her shirt and touched the elastic band. He rolled it down slightly and when it reached her hip and he couldn't push it down further, he leaned in to murmur, “Please.”

“What do you want,” Nancy repeated again as she tried to refocus her attention onto the screen.

“Just take off your pants... No one will see. Nan, _please_. I miss you so much.”

“And then you'll stop bothering me for the rest of the show?” she hissed back and Ned nodded.

“Yeah.”

Sighing softly, she leaned down into her seat and pushed it down, glad for the lack of rustling fabric.

“Now hush,” she told him off as she leaned back against him, and Ned grinned as he stroked the skin above the waistband of her panties.

She made a warning noise when his fingers stole under her panties and crept towards the v of her thighs. She tried to clamp her legs together but he used his other hand to hold her knees apart. He pressed his finger against her sex and she looked at him and he was smirking. Of course she was wet. She had been wet for him since they had sex last Sunday and after the kiss just now, she was imagining all the dirty things she would do to him when they got home.

She slouched in her seat further and Ned followed suit, his thumb digging harder against her clit as he pushed one finger in. She bit back a cry as her face creased.

“Baby,” he groaned softly as she opened her legs wider to give him better access, and she reached over to cup the bulge at the front of his trousers.

He pushed another finger in and a soft moan escaped her and Ned unzipped his trousers with his free hand, freeing his erection.

He teased her with his fingers until she was grinding her hips against him, her panties at her ankles, her legs splayed open. If anyone looked over at them, there was no hiding what they were doing, but there was no one in their row or the row behind them. She was beginning to think that maybe Ned had been planning this since the moment he had walked in.

She licked her palm and when she gently clasped him in her slick fist, he retaliated by shoving his fingers up into her hard.

She opened up his trousers and when she gently brushed her fingers against the delicate paper-thin skin of his balls, Ned let out a choked cry.

She stroked him and then she changed her mind. She removed her hand and Ned made a disappointed sound as his fingers slowed in her.

“Hey.”

“Shh,” Nancy said as she sneaked a glance around her. No one seemed to be in the rows behind and in front of them. She slowed her hand and just when Ned was giving her a confused look, she very quietly pushed herself off the chair, careful to keep her head low as she sank down to her knees.

She pushed apart his knees and Ned's eyes widened as she took him in her mouth, sucking him and tasting the salty pre-cum there. She looked up and she wanted to laugh at the expression on his face. His mouth was slightly open and he was trying his best to moan silently and when she gave him a particularly wicked flick of her tongue, he arched slightly off the chair. She pulled back and grinned at him and oh, he was going to get her, he was going to make her pay for that.

She slithered back up her seat, wiping her mouth and he grabbed her, kissing her hard, his tongue lashing at hers as he reached under her shirt and snapped her bra open, his hands cupping her breasts. She moaned into their kiss and when she opened her eyes to gaze back at the screen, the actors onscreen were having sex. Or at least pretending to have sex.

Ned followed her gaze and when he saw the naked torso and the sheet arranged just so on their bodies, he looked at Nancy and grinned.

“How come our sheets don't look so nice when we have sex,” he whispered teasingly and Nancy just shook her head as his fingers plunged into her again and she jerked, her knees bent as he fondled the wet nub of flesh.

She groaned softly and Ned kissed her again, swallowing whatever sound she was about to make as he added another finger. She was so tight and so wet and slick and he would explode if he couldn't be in her. Turning in his seat, he looked behind and was thrilled to find the back row completely unoccupied. As far as he could tell, everyone had shifted a few rows in front, had all gravitated to the center seats when the movie started.

He settled back in his seat, sitting up straighter before he looped an arm round her waist and tugged her onto his lap.

Her eyes widened when she realized what he wanted to do and she shook her head, tried to move off him, but his grip was too tight and he succeeded in making her straddle him.

“No one will see us,” Ned whispered in assurance as he angled himself under her, urging her to take him. “Nan, _please,_ c'mon.”

She shook her head still but then the tip of his cock butted against her entrance and slipped in slightly and fuck, she was so hot and wet there and there was no way in hell he was going to let this go. His grip on her tightened and he made her take a few inches of him before he stopped. As much as he wanted it, he wasn't going to force it on her. Even if it would _kill_ him if she got off right now.

“Nan,” he whispered as he looked up at her, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “Baby.”

He flicked her clit with his thumbnail and her lips rounded in a silent gasp as she shuddered, and then she leaned forward and sealed her lips to his as she impaled herself fully onto his cock. Ned pushed his hips up and she whimpered as she took his full length, every hard inch of him and Ned groaned softly at the feel of her. She felt _so_ good, so incredibly tight still and so, so wet. He pushed her shirt up and latched onto one of her nipples and she rocked her hips, moving in a figure eight.

He detached and grasped her ass and she cast a quick glance around again to ensure that no one was watching them before she took her shirt off and planted her hands on his shoulder, bouncing up and down, fucking him hard and fast. He watched in rapt attention as her bra slid down her arms and her breasts bounced, blue in the light from the screen. His hands crept to her clit and when he touched her there, her hips bucked hard and she let out a small whimper. He snaked one arm round her waist, shifted his body so that his knees were bent, and held her to his chest as he moved her hips, short, fast strokes, his cock pistoning in and out of her. He fucked her hard, his thrusts as vicious as possible and when his hand snaked down so he could brush that sensitive nub of flesh, she sobbed aloud, her teeth sinking into the hard muscle of his shoulder as he pushed himself deeper into her in retaliation.

“Ned,” she moaned softly as she surrendered all control to him. He rocked his hips under hers, setting the pace, urging her hips on as she rode him, pinching her own nipples.

He dug his thumb against her clit and she let out a silent cry, panting softly as Ned slid further off his seat, until his back was almost fully on the seat of the chair and all she could think at the moment was the feel of his cock moving in her and that she was thankful for the generous leg room.

“Come,” Ned hissed, his breath already ragged and she nodded, gasping as she closed her eyes and clasped her hand over his, his thumb pressing against her clit. She was so close, so very close to coming and his legs must be cramping by now and then Ned released her and pushed himself upright on the seat again and the change in angle caused her to take him even deeper, caused his cock to rub against her g-spot. She actually groaned aloud, her mouth rounding into a cry as she felt herself shake, and then Ned was leaning forward to kiss her, to cut off her cries as he pressed himself further into her, and released, spending himself inside her as she felt her own hot gush between her legs.

“Oh my god,” Nancy whispered once she could talk again. Ned's arms were still wrapped protectively around her.

“Yeah,” Ned agreed. “My legs have no feeling anymore.”

Nancy climbed off him gingerly, wincing when she felt the soreness of her thighs. “ _I_ can't seem to close them again.”

“Oh?” Ned looked at her with renewed interest and she flipped him off, swatting at him.

“ _God._ I can't believe we just did that.” Nancy leaned back heavily in her chair, pushing her hair back as she refastened her bra and pulled on her shirt.

“Can you imagine what would happen if someone had gotten up for a toilet break? Or if there were late-comers?” Nancy whispered as she put herself back in order and Ned shrugged, grinning.

“Dunno.”

“You are _insane_ ,” Nancy hissed.

“And you secretly like it, too, but will never admit because you don't want to prove me right,” Ned replied, bumping his shoulder against hers.

Nancy shrugged. “Well, it was pretty good.”

Ned had just opened his mouth to protest when he looked at her and saw that she was smirking. Shaking his head, he leaned in and cupped her face, kissing her hard. She moaned softly.

“So... why are you here today, Nickerson?” Nancy whispered after she broke the kiss, leaning her head on his shoulder.

“To watch the movie,” Ned replied mock-innocently.

“Trying to stock up on frequent flyer miles, Nickerson?” Nancy murmured as she nestled contently in the crook of his neck.

“Someone's got to keep up with you,” Ned teased back as he wrapped an arm around her. “Someone's got to warm your bed for you as well.”

“Uh-uh. One-track mind again.”

“How can you blame me when I have such a gorgeous wife,” Ned murmured as his arm tightened around her.

“That tongue of yours.”

“Is pretty wicked,” Ned said, and she could detect the smirk in his voice.

“So what do you owe Bess to make her give up watching this show?” Nancy asked, curious.

“Nothing,” Ned replied and Nancy pulled away from him.

“No way.” She said, shaking her head. “You're not that good.”

Ned flashed her a smile. “Front row basketball tickets to the Lakers game on Friday for Nathan. I bribed him to catch this with Bess instead.”

Nancy whistled very softly. “You're good.”

Ned pulled her back to him. “I'll show you just how good I am tonight,” he murmured and she shivered as a delicious chill ran down her spine.

“Why don't we just go right now,” Nancy breathed and Ned chuckled.

“Now who's the one with the one-track mind?”

Nancy fluttered her eyelashes at him. “Shut up and just take me home, Nickerson.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter by littlemsmessy.

Ned couldn’t believe it. After not having seen Nancy in seventeen days, she was finally here. The splash of moonlight coming in from the window by the bed illuminated her bare back, tempting him to run his fingertips and tongue down the elegant column of her spine. He shifted so that his body was behind hers; as he was about to plant feather-soft kisses at the nape of her neck and reach around her to cup her breasts, he heard buzzing. Loud, angry buzzing.

Dimly, Ned realized that the sound was coming from his alarm clock. He sat up with a loud groan and was disappointed to find the other side of the bed cold and empty.

“Shit,” he snarled, reaching out to slam the alarm off. _Seventeen fucking days_ , he thought. It was the longest they had been apart since they were married. Seventeen days of him coming back to a lonely, deserted apartment in a strange city or their lonely, deserted house back in Illinois, his only contact with his wife some brief texts and maddeningly short phone calls. The last two weekends he had been home, Nancy was stuck in New York or London searching for that motherfucker Onyx. With that motherfucker Frank Hardy. Ned was seriously debating not even going home at all this upcoming weekend; if Nancy wasn’t going to be there, what the hell was the point?

He heaved a sigh of frustration as he hauled himself out of bed, checking his phone to see if there were any new messages from her. When he didn’t find any, he began getting ready to go into the office.

\--

Nancy picked up her cell phone and was about to call Ned to wish him a good morning when Frank motioned her over to view the information he had just pulled up on his computer screen. “What did you find, Frank?” she asked, going back into investigator mode as she pocketed her phone.

“Well, it seems that Onyx has been running some covert operations on the side, and he’s been pissing off all kinds of people, namely those who don’t take kindly to being pissed off. If we lean on them, they may be willing to put us onto his trail. Check this out,” Frank instructed, pointing to a series of hacked emails between Onyx and another double agent he had sold out.

Nancy leaned over his shoulder, her face close to his. “This is the best lead we’ve had in ages!” she crowed. “Amazing work as always, Frank!” She rested her hand on his shoulder and affectionately massaged it before coming to her senses and yanking it back.

Even from his profile, she could see the flush spread across his face. “Thanks, Nan,” Frank muttered gruffly. “I only found this stuff because of your digging through files and records, though.” He kept staring straight ahead as if he were afraid to look at her.

Nancy’s own face was burning. She truly wasn’t interested in pursuing anything with Frank – she had meant the gesture as only a friendly one of approval. Now she was nervous that he would misinterpret the sentiment behind it. Plus, if she were honest with herself, the feel of a strong male shoulder underneath her fingertips didn’t help the constant state of arousal she seemed to find herself in lately.

She hadn’t seen Ned in seventeen days, and it was the longest they had ever been apart since they had been married. She had been so excited to see him the last two weekends, only to have her plans change at the last minute while she followed leads on Onyx in New York and London.

Now she wasn’t sure if she’d even make it home from San Francisco this upcoming weekend, and the thought of it made her stomach clench. Lately, her phone conversations with Ned had become more and more strained as he made it clear how much he resented her working with Frank and she tried to hide how much she resented that his job had led him to Los Angeles. When things had gotten really tense a few times, Nancy had resorted to pretending that she had to get back to work so she could end the call. Afterwards, she had lain in her king-sized bed in her lonely hotel room, staring up at the ceiling and trying her damnedest not to cry. Every night she dreamed of him, and every morning she woke up feeling a hollow ache in her chest when she found the other side of the bed empty.

Nancy stretched, already feeling fatigued, even though the day had just begun.“So, do we think that we can put pressure on these guys now?” she asked Frank. “And, more to the point, do you think you can do without me for a few days?”

Frank finally turned away from the computer screen, glancing over at her. “Uh, not sure, Nan,” he replied, sounding puzzled. “Why?”

“Well, because I haven’t seen my husband in nearly three weeks and he’s probably beyond pissed at me?” The words tumbled out before Nancy could stop them.

Frank raised his eyebrows. “Problems with Ned?” he asked neutrally.

Nancy cursed herself for even saying anything to Frank. The absolutely last thing she needed was to pour out her marital issues to him as if he were an intimate confidant. It could potentially lead to some entirely uncomfortable conversations about the ridiculous flirtation between them in the past and the offer he had made her on that street in Paris all those years earlier. More importantly, Ned would never, ever forgive her if he ever found out.

“Nah,” she lied smoothly, stepping back. “It’s just been sucky being away from him. He’s totally understanding, of course, but even the most understanding guy needs a little quality time with his wife.”

“Sure,” Frank shrugged. “Then why don’t you book a flight and take off for a few days? I can hold down the fort here.”

Nancy shot him a grateful grin. “Are you sure, Frank?”

“Definitely. Why don’t you leave today?”

“Oh, I couldn’t do that to you,” she protested weakly, although she was secretly delighted at the idea of seeing Ned so soon.

“Go ahead,” he replied, waving her off. “Book your flight now.”

\---

Ned’s lousy mood continued as he left the apartment, got stuck in the notorious L.A. freeway traffic, and spilled his almost-full mug of coffee all over his shirt. Luckily, he had a clean one in his office, but it was one more aggravation during a day that already seemed to be full of them, and it was still early yet.

He was preparing for a late-morning meeting when his cell phone rang. Nancy’s smiling face appeared on the display. She used to call him first thing so they could talk while he was still in bed, but that tradition seemed to fall by the wayside over the last few weeks. Now, he was lucky if she was able to call him once a day - he didn’t dare call her, in case she was in some sort of situation where the sound or movement of her phone could literally mean her death.

Ned pushed the answer button on his phone. “Hey, Nan.”

“Hey, baby! Oh, it is so good to hear your voice! I miss you.”

Ned felt himself start to grin. “I miss you too, baby. So, are we finally going to be able to do something about it? Will I finally see you this weekend?”

There was a pause, and Ned could feel his irritation rising. “Well, about that, Ned…I’m right in the middle of working on this amazing lead. We’re so close, I can feel it!”

“So, no, then?” he replied flatly.

“Ned, I…I won’t make it to Chicago this weekend. I’m so sorry, sweetheart. But I will make it up to you, I swear…”

Ned pinched the bridge of his nose and tried to hold his tongue so he wouldn’t say something he’d regret. “Sure, Nan. Well, since you aren’t coming home, I think I’ll just stay here for the weekend. Doesn’t make sense for me to just fly home and fuck up my internal clock with the time zone change if you aren’t going to be there.”

“Well, baby, if you think that’s for the best. Hey, I have to go now, but I’ll call you later, okay? Maybe then we can have a round of phone sex – what do you think?”

Her tone was almost pleading, but Ned wasn’t in the mood to make her feel better. “Sure, fine,” he said tersely. “Talk to you.” He disconnected the call and slammed the phone back down onto his desk with more force than he had intended.

His administrative assistant popped her head into his partially open doorway. “They want to know if they can push up the meeting 30 minutes, Ned.”

Ned sighed, looking down at the notes he hadn’t even begun to review yet. “Sure, why not?”

\---

Nancy looked down at her phone after Ned had abruptly ended their call. She had kept her fingers crossed the entire time, but still felt guilty. She hated lying to him, but she thought that her surprise visit would more than make up for it.Her flight would be at 3:00 that afternoon, which meant that she’d have time to do a little setting up for a treat that she was already planning for him in her mind. She had to return to San Francisco on Friday night, but at least some time with her husband would be better than none.

Smiling, she picked up her phone again and began Googling a few items to start her preparations.

\---

The meeting had gone well, despite Ned’s lack of preparation and the short notice. He had been able to fake his way through a few things, which he was learning was the style of a lot of people in Los Angeles.The client had been so impressed with his proposal, though, that they asked him and his senior team to join them for drinks later on. Since he hadn’t been looking forward to going back to his empty apartment, he readily accepted their offer.

He was responding to some emails when Jack, his second-in-command, rapped lightly on his partially open door. “Hey, Nickerson.A bunch of us are heading over to the bar early. Did you want to join us?”

Ned looked up. “Yeah, that would be good,” he said slowly. “Just let me finish up here and I’ll meet you guys over there.”

“Oh, and by the way: we’re doing a golf outing on Saturday. I know you usually go home to Chicago, but I thought I’d offer, just in case.”

“Yeah, well, my plans have changed,” Ned said grimly. “My wife can’t get off from work, so I’m actually not going home this weekend, after all. And golf sounds perfect. Send me the details?”

“Sure thing, boss.” Jack gave him a mock salute and went to leave before turning back. “Oh, by the way, are we ever going to meet this ‘wife’ of yours?” He curled his fingers into air quotes. “I think those pictures on your desk are from some stock photo bank or something. I mean, seriously, Ned and Nancy Nickerson? Sounds a little too perfect, dude. And, who marries their high-school sweetheart these days?That’s a Midwest thing, isn’t it? If you’re using the whole ‘married man’ thing as a cover to prevent the ladies from throwing themselves at you, then…you’re an idiot, man.”

Ned chuckled. “No, she really exists, I swear it, and her name really is Nancy. Maybe one of these weekends she’ll be able to come out here and you guys can all meet her in person.”

“Hope so, because there’s no way she can be as hot as she looks, Nickerson. I think I need to see for myself. I have a thing for redheads.”

“Same here, and she’s even better in person,” Ned replied lightly. Jack gave a mock groan before walking out.

\---

Nancy let herself into Ned’s apartment, glad that she had kept the extra key on the same ring as the one for their house in Illinois. He had finally tired of living out of a hotel room and had picked out this one-bedroom apartment in a fancy, gleaming high-rise building about two months ago. It was small but had modern appliances and was fully furnished, and the price was reasonable, considering that it had a beautiful view of the city and a parking space. In L.A., it was the equivalent of finding the Holy Grail. When Ned had shown her the apartment on her on her last visit, she had made the appropriate sounds of approval, but it had made her incredibly sad to see him get so excited to put down roots here. It was another symbol of the fact that he was building a life away from the one they had together in Illinois, and Nancy couldn’t help but resent what it represented.

She picked up the shopping bags she had set down to open the door and lugged everything inside the apartment. Groaning, she surveyed the disarray: the newspapers scattered on the coffee table, the collection of used coffee mugs lined up on the counter by the sink, his clothing draped on the sofa.

“Well, I guess I’ll need to do some straightening up before I can set up,” she said aloud. “Thanks, Ned. Guess you didn’t hire that cleaning service, after all.” It was a good thing that he usually worked late – it gave her time to take care of what she wanted to do.

Within an hour, she had restored the apartment back to a livable condition and began throwing together a quick meal that could reheat later. She was glad she had gone food shopping – the refrigerator and freezer had almost been bare, save for some deli meat, beer, frozen pizzas, ice cream and takeout containers for Chinese food. _Do I know my husband or wha_ t _?_ she thought, sighing.

Once the dish was in the oven, Nancy moved to the bedroom and began pulling items out of her shopping bags. She set up candles on every available surface, and draped sheer scarves over the lamps to create a soft glow.Humming, she took out the lingerie she had bought and began to prepare for his homecoming. 

\---

The crowd at the bar was larger than Ned had expected, considering that it was a Wednesday night. He had already spotted two B-list movie stars, some guy from a reality show, and a few women he could swear were models. This was L.A., though, where everyone was attractive enough to be a model and/or actress.

Ned had easily found his coworkers, and ordered a vodka gimlet with extra lime, remembering the time that Nancy had made them for a barbecue in their backyard.He didn’t want to drink something he really liked: the temptation to get drunk was too strong after the day he’d had, and he had no intention of getting shit-faced in front of his client and his direct reports. That, he’d save for later.

The client arrived after he had shown up, and they all made small talk around the table. Carly, his main client contact, was a striking brunette with a great body, another gold medalist in the Beauty Olympics that was Southern California. Ned could have sworn that she was trying to flirt with him, but he attributed it to the alcohol and her overly friendly nature with everyone.

They sat around talking for a while, and Ned ordered another gimlet. Just as the group was debating the idea of heading to another place for some dinner and more drinks, his phone vibrated in his pocket. He ignored it, not ready to hear Nancy beg with him to be more understanding. Within another minute, it vibrated again, but Ned still refrained from picking it up.

After three more vibrations, Jack poked him in the arm. “I think your phone is blowing up. You may want to answer it.”

Heaving a sigh, Ned took it out of his pocket to check his messages – there were no calls, just texts. The first one was simply a photo of a trail of clothing on a carpet - a discarded skirt and shirt, a bra, a pair of panties. Ned scrolled to the next one, and it was a picture of a feather duster and a pair of fur-lined handcuffs sitting on what appeared to be his comforter at the apartment here in L.A. His excitement growing, he moved to the next one, which was a close-up of a bottle of edible massage oil.The next photo was of a pair of long, shapely legs clad in black stockings, feet in black stiletto heels propped up on his coffee table.

Ned could barely wait for the final message, which was an overhead shot of Nancy sprawled out on the bed on her back, her strawberry blonde hair fanned out around her head. She was clad only in one of his button-down shirts, unbuttoned to the top of her breasts. Lying on her stomach was the front page of that day’s _Los Angeles Times_. This message had text attached, and read: _Tonight will be all about your pleasure…I’m here, ready and waiting for you…Don’t make me wait too long, sexy…XOXOXO…_

Ned could feel his cock stirring in his pants; remembering where he was, he tried desperately to restrain his thoughts so he didn’t have an embarrassing situation in front of everyone.

“Everything okay?” Carly asked, looking concerned.

“Huh?” Ned asked, his mind still on the texts.

“I just wanted to know if everything was all right,” she repeated. “You’ve been staring at your phone with a weird expression on your face.” Ned looked up to find that everyone at the table was looking at him curiously.

He flushed. “Yeah, no, sorry. Something’s just…come up, and I need to head out. Sorry, everyone. Don’t break up the party on my account, though – it’s still on me.” Ned stood up and fished his wallet out of his back pocket, handing Jack his Corporate American Express card.

“Are you sure we can’t convince you to stay?” Carly countered, smiling as she leaned forward slightly. Ned couldn’t tell if the movement was accidental, or if she had deliberately done it to show off her impressive cleavage.

“No, sorry. Maybe we can all do this another time, though?” he inquired, emphasizing the word ‘all’. _No need to give her the wrong idea_ , Ned thought.

“That would be great,” she replied lightly.

“’Night, everyone,” he called, hearing their slightly drunken cries of “Good night” behind him as he left.

\--

Nancy took another sip of her vodka and cranberry as she sat on the couch, nervously crossing and uncrossing her legs. The garters were digging into the backs of her thighs, but she didn’t want to remove them. She had sent the texts over forty-five minutes ago and still hadn’t heard back from Ned. She knew that he had been pissed at her during their conversation earlier that day; what she didn’t know was whether he had let it turn into a slow burn of anger that would lead him to deliberately ignore her until he was good and ready to come home.Nancy was terrified that he would walk into the apartment hours from now, drunk and spoiling for an argument – she definitely wasn’t in the mood for that.

The last seventeen days had made her beyond horny for him, and she was hoping that a few steamy rounds of sex would help to erase his feelings of resentment and neglect. She also wanted to remind Ned of what they had together, of what he had in her as his wife, his partner, his lover. Even though she trusted him fully, she was more than aware that Los Angeles was full of gorgeous women who would find him as sexy as she did, and she needed to make sure that he remembered he had a wife who would do anything for him.

Nancy knew she was being foolish, but she couldn’t stand the thought of him creating a new version of himself in this strange place, where temptation would be at an all-time high. It had been one thing when he had been away at college and their relationship had been much more fluid; now, they had a real commitment to each other. When they were thousands of miles apart and he was feeling lonely and neglected, there was nothing to stop him from flirting at some pretty woman at work, at a bar, at the gym, then invite her back here for drinks or…whatever, and Nancy would never even know about it. _Maybe one day, he’ll get tired of this arrangement, and tired of you. He won’t want his boring old life anymore and he’ll move on,_ a nasty voice hissed in her head. _Stop it!_ she told herself firmly, trying not to cry. _He was faithful to you before, and nothing will change that._ ** _He_** _won’t change._

Pushing the negative thoughts out of her head, Nancy craned her neck, checking the microwave clock for about the fiftieth time since she had texted him, and finished her drink. If Ned was going to be wasted, she damn well wasn’t going to be sober. Nancy rose to pour herself another drink and downed half of it at the kitchen counter as she flipped through the magazine she had picked up at the airport newsstand, not really paying attention to its contents.She was almost finished and was contemplating pouring herself another when she heard Ned’s keys in the lock of the front door.

Nancy hurriedly gulped down the contents of her glass and set it in the sink before placing herself into what she thought was a seductive pose on the top of the counter so that Ned could see her when he walked in.

\--

Ned fumbled with his keys as he tried to get them into the lock, so great was his anticipation at seeing Nancy. He was successful on the third try, and gave a start as he walked in and saw her. She was sitting on his kitchen countertop, palms down on either side of her legs, which were slightly parted. Her hair was loose and flowing over her shoulders. She was still wearing his shirt, those damned sexy stockings, and the incredibly high-heeled shoes. Her lips were a bright, glossy pink.

“Why, hello there, Mr. Nickerson,” she cooed, giving him a half-wave. Ned had already walked in half-hard; her provocative position and the tone of her voice helped him get the rest of the way there. “Do you have something for me over there?”

“Why, hello there, Mrs. Nickerson,” he replied, his voice pitched low. “I most definitely have something for you. I’ve had it for seventeen days and I’ve been waiting to give it to you.” God, she looked amazing. He had thought Carly and the other women at the bar were pretty, but he was again struck by how truly gorgeous his wife was.

“Oh, yeah? Well, it looks like someone’s had a **_hard_** day,” she smirked, and Ned caught her as she deliberately looked down at the crotch of his pants. “Want me to kiss it and make it better?”

“I think that’s what you promised me when you sent those ridiculously sexy pictures, Nan.”

“Ooh, did you like them?” Nancy asked, toying with the top button of the shirt she was wearing.

“I did, but I can’t wait to see what’s under my shirt.” Nancy flicked open the first button and paused briefly before undoing the second one. Ned was disappointed that he still couldn’t see anything; the valley between her breasts was in shadow. “I want more,” he growled.

“Greedy boy. Well, you’ll have to wait a little bit longer. Can I get you a drink first?” She hopped off of the counter and crossed over to him, throwing her arms around his neck before covering his mouth in a fierce kiss.

“Mmm, yeah. I feel like I wanna get a little fucked up so I can relax,” Ned told her, savoring the feel of her body against his after so long.

“I’ll make sure you relax, sweetheart. Now, what can I get you?”

“How about Southern Comfort and lime? And I want you to have some, too,” he replied, smacking her ass underneath the shirt. He felt her bare cheeks and the satin of a thong under his hand, and felt himself get even harder.

“Two SoCos and lime, coming up. While I make them, why don’t you go into the bedroom and get on the bed, baby?”

“Should I get undressed?”

Nancy leaned forward and put her mouth against his ear. “Why don’t you let me do that? I told you I’d take care of you tonight.” Ned shivered, gleefully anticipating what was to come.

He headed to the bedroom and saw the candles flickering on every flat surface, the lamps on low, and the supplies she had gathered on one of the bedside tables. He hurriedly toed off his shoes and slipped off his socks. Picking up the handcuffs, Ned ran his fingertips across the fur lining of one before setting them down and selecting the feather duster. He brushed it over his face and couldn’t wait to find out what it would feel like on more sensitive areas of his body. When he heard Nancy’s footsteps in the hallway outside the door, he hurriedly put down the duster and sat on the edge of his side of the bed.

Nancy walked in carrying a tray and set it down on a free space on the dresser. She walked over to him and silently handed him one of the drinks in her hand. After clinking glasses, they both downed the contents, wincing slightly as the alcohol burned down their chests.She gave them refills; they were almost finished when Nancy took the glass from his hand and set both his and hers down on the nightstand. “So, now, let me ask you…Do you trust me, Ned?” Her voice was low and seductive as she asked the question, roughly running her fingers through his dark hair.

Ned pulled back warily. “I do, but…” He remembered the night of the party where they had seen his former frat brothers and she had fingered his ass during a blow job. They had talked about trying it again with the butt plug, but he wasn’t ready for that tonight.

It was as if she had read his mind. “Not that, baby,” she smiled, and he felt himself let out the breath he hadn’t known he was holding. “That doesn’t have to be on the menu tonight if you don’t want it. No, I had…other things in mind. But do you trust me to make you feel good?” Ned nodded, this time without hesitation. She picked up her drink and downed the remains in one gulp before setting the empty glass down again.

Nancy reached for the remaining closed buttons of his shirt, and slowly, torturously undid them, one by one. When the shirt was completely open, she dropped her arms and let it fall to the carpet.Ned thought she had looked sexy before; now, as she stood before him in a red satin bustier that pushed her breasts into two high mounds, the matching thong, and a garter belt holding up those magnificent black stockings, she was fucking spectacular.

“Baby…Mmmm, you look good,” he told her, a look of desire in his eyes.

“Thank you,” she smiled. “I picked it out just for you. Now, let me take off your shirt.” Nancy flicked open the buttons and ran her hands over his chest and abdomen, pausing to caress his nipples. She slid the open shirt off of his shoulders and pushed it down and to the floor. Leaning forward at the waist, she nipped at the crease between his neck and shoulder before sucking on the skin there.

The feel of her hot mouth on his skin made Ned shiver with delight. “A hickey, baby?” he murmured. “You haven’t given me one of those in ages.”

“I want to mark you. My marks will be all over you before we’re done tonight. I want the women out here to see that you belong to someone else. Now, lie down,” she commanded.

Ned scooted backwards so that the bend of his knees met the edge of the mattress, and he lay back. Nancy stood between his open legs and bent down, the satin of her bustier brushing his bare chest. She captured his mouth in a kiss that was almost brutal and then abruptly broke it off, moving away from him.

Ned let out a loud groan of frustration. “No, no, no, baby. Come back here.”

Nancy moved closer and reached for the buckle of his belt, swiftly undoing it before putting her hand on his zipper. “Looks like someone’s ready for me,” she smirked as she yanked down the zipper. “Pants off, Mr. Nickerson.”

He raised his hips and frantically helped her to push them down. When he was only in his boxer shorts, Nancy stared down at the bulge of his crotch before meeting his gaze, her blue eyes thoughtful. “I’m tempted to strip those off of you and ride the hell out of you, but I think I promised that tonight was all about you.”

“Oh, that would definitely work for me, Nan,” he reassured her.

“Nope, not yet,” she teased. She walked over to the chair in the corner of the room and grabbed some folded towels that were on the seat, spreading them over the bed while Ned watched her out of the corner of his eye.

“Why the towels?” he asked, curious.

“Because I don’t want to ruin your perfectly nice, perfectly new comforter with the oil I bought,” she told him. “Now, get up and lie on your stomach.”

Ned followed her orders and laid his head sideways on the pillow so he could watch her. Nancy picked up the feather duster and began running it idly over her palm. She got on her knees on the bed and straddled his waist. Ned sighed when he felt her gently trail the feathers over the nape of his neck and his shoulders. She stopped for a moment, then resumed the movement of the feathers up and down in maddeningly slow strokes.

Nancy continued the stop-and-start game over the backs of his arms, down his spine, and above the waistband of his boxers. “Are you going to take them off, Nan?” he panted.

“I am,” she replied, sliding her hands underneath the elastic and pushing the shorts down and off of his legs. She then ran the feathers over the firm globes of his ass and brushed them over the cleft.

Ned froze. “Nan…” he said warningly.

“Shhhhh, I promised you I wouldn’t and I won’t,” she told him as she continued teasing him with the duster.“I still think you have a cute ass, though,” she said, and he could hear the laughter in her voice before she leaned down and planted a kiss on one cheek.

“Right back at you,” he replied, chuckling.

Nancy moved the duster down over the backs of his thighs and ran it over his firm calves. He couldn’t help but gasp when she ran it over the inner thighs of his spread legs.She giggled as he squirmed when she brushed it over the soles of his feet.

“You are torturing me. I’m already so hard for you and I have been for the last seventeen days, Nan,” he moaned.

“Shhhh….I’ve only just started, sweetheart.” Nancy moved back up his body, leaned over to grab the bottle of oil from the bedside table, and opened the cap. Ned hissed at the feel of the warmed oil on his back as her hands began to rub his shoulders. “Tell me if you want it harder,” she murmured him against his ear.

“Baby, I love it when we do it harder,” he smirked, his double meaning clear.

Nancy increased the pressure of her hands and began working his shoulder blades. Just when he was about to purr from the pleasure of it, Nancy bit into his shoulder and then began licking him.She alternated using her hands and mouth on him, and Ned groaned loudly when she began to run her tongue down his spine.

Nancy worked her way down his ribcage with rubs and kisses and bites and licks, and gently ran her fingertips over his lower back. Pouring more of the oil onto her palms, she worked it into his skin there. She brushed her lips against his ass again and slid her tongue up and down each cheek, then kneaded each one with her hands.

When she began running her tongue over the line where his ass met his thighs, Ned moaned. “God, that feels good, baby.”

“I’m glad,” Nancy whispered. She worked over the backs of his thighs and calves, and Ned was so relaxed he could feel himself start to drowse. “Nickerson, you better not go to sleep on me, “she called out. “I have a lot more planned for you.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it, Drew,” he replied, his eyes snapping open.

“Good.” When she got to his ankles, she gave him a not-so-gentle slap on his rear. “Now, turn over so I can see how much you want me.” Ned rolled onto his back, his cock straining at attention. “Mmmm,” she cooed. “That’s what I like to see. Ready for more?”

“Yes, but first I think I want more to drink, babe.” He went to get up but Nancy pushed him back down and climbed off of the bed. She poured each of them more Southern Comfort, bringing the bottle back with her, and placed the glasses back on the bedside table after they had gulped down their drinks. Ned felt pleasantly buzzed.

Instead of climbing back on top of him like he thought she would, Nancy leaned over to grab the handcuffs and dangled them from one finger, a wicked glint in her eye. “I’ll ask you again, Nickerson – how much do you trust me?”

“Oh, fuck, no, Nan,” Ned protested. “I thought those were for you, not me. I still remember what happened the last time you tied me up - you are _not_ using that numbing shit on me again. This time I _will_ kill you, and I’ll be sure that my lawyer gets a male judge and a majority of male jurors: once they hear the explanation of what you did, I’ll never be convicted of murder.” He was kidding. Mostly.

Nancy chuckled, then moved her finger so that the handcuffs swung back and forth. “I swear to you that I don’t have anything like that with me, baby. Scout’s honor,” she replied, her gleaming lips turned down in a slight pout. “I told you that I just want to make you feel good tonight.”Her blue eyes were wide and guileless, and she fluttered her mascara-darkened lashes at him.

Ned hesitated, still nervous. “So, if I let you do this, do you swear that there will be no dick-numbing or ass play or anything like that?” he asked, narrowing his eyes at her.

She grinned. “Baby, I promise. Everything will be about your pleasure, I mean it.”

He sighed to signal his surrender and spread his arms wide. “If there’s anything that I don’t like…”

“…then say the safe word and I’ll stop,” she promised, finishing his sentence. “You won’t regret it, I swear.”She gripped one of his forearms and moved it next to the bedpost, clamping one of the handcuffs around his wrist, repeating the motions with his other wrist. When she was done, she sat back on her haunches and just looked at him, her lips curled up in a small grin.

Ned suddenly felt exposed and vulnerable at being unable to move his arms while his dick was flushed and erect. He wished that he were a little drunker so he wouldn’t feel quite as inhibited and self-conscious as he did now.

Nancy noticed the look on his face. “Baby, say the word and this ends,” she repeated.“If not, did you want more to drink first?”

He nodded. “Yeah, I’ve got a good buzz going but I think I need more.”

She leaned over and sloshed a good amount of the liquor into their empty glasses, then held his glass up to his lips, carefully tipping it back so that he didn’t choke. When he finished his, she downed hers in a few quick gulps. Ned tilted his head, indicating that he wanted another; she gave him half the amount as before and looked at him warningly.

Ned took the hint. “Now, no more drinks. Time to get your sexy ass back here and start touching me again,” he commanded. He knew that he absolutely trusted her not to do what he had forbidden, and he couldn’t wait for her to start playing with him again.

Nancy’s gave him a teasing grin. “Whatever you say, Mr. Nickerson.” She straddled him again and used the feather duster over his fingers, his bound wrists, the crook of his inner elbows, and over the tufts of dark hair under his arms.

He groaned loudly as she flicked the duster over his neck, the base of his throat, and over his nipples before moving it down to his breastbone and ribcage. Circling his navel once, she looked up and winked at him before tracing the line of dark hair down to the coarse thicket at the top of his pubic bone. It was like torture for him, but the absolute best, most delicious kind. 

As Nancy got closer and closer to his cock, Ned’s hips began to arch up off of the bed. She reached out to still them and slid the feathers over the crease where his hips met his groin. Just when Ned began squirming in anticipation of her running the duster over his erection, she moved it over the sides of his hips and down his thighs before sliding down to tease his inner thighs.

“Nan,” he groaned. “I think you missed something, baby.”

“What’s that?” she asked, feigning innocence.

“Um, that hard thing practically staring up at you?”

“Oh, that big, hot, hard cock, you mean?” she asked nonchalantly.

“That’s the one.”

“Mmm, not yet, baby. I want this to last, I want you to last, so not yet.” Nancy swirled the feather duster over one knee cap, then the other, and repeated the swirling motion over his calves. She worked her way to his ankles, then the soles of his feet again, laughing again when he wiggled away.

“Please, baby. _Please_.”

She smiled. “Tell me what you want.”

“Fuck me or suck me off, sweetheart, _please_.” Ned was begging at this point. All he wanted was her mouth, her hand, her pussy around him.

Nancy slid the duster back up to skim the insides of his legs, and began to tease his balls with it before abruptly pulling away.

“Nan,” he growled warningly.

Seeming to ignore him, Nancy ran the feathers over his balls and the base of his cock, watching it jump in response. Grabbing the bottle of massage lotion one more time and squirting some into her hand, she rubbed both palms together and laughed at the expectant look on his face.Her hands skimmed his erection and stroked up and down, coating it with the warm oil.Ned sighed with pleasure.

Her pretty pink tongue shot out and she used it to lick the head of his cock, which was already wet with pre-cum. Just when Ned thought he wouldn’t be able to take it any longer, she abruptly took him all the way into her mouth and began sucking. When she looked up at him, her blue eyes hot and fierce with desire while she continued to slide his cock up and down her throat, he thought he’d come right then and there.

“ _Baby._ God, you are so fucking good at this. I think about you doing this to me all of the time.” Ned clenched his hands and rattled the handcuffs against the headboard, frustrated that he couldn’t grip onto her hair, the sheet, anything, while he felt the pressure of his impending orgasm build.

Nancy continued to work in him and out of her mouth, using her hands to cup the base and play with his balls.He could feel the satin of her bustier brush up against his inner thighs, and the sight of her creamy breasts jiggling along with the feel of her hot, wet mouth around him was enough to make him welcome his release. He came in a thick gush against the back of her throat and let out a loud groan.

Ned slumped down against the pillows as she wiped her hands off on the towel underneath him. He watched her reach for the bottle of Southern Comfort and pour some into her glass, shaking her head and grimacing as she knocked it back. “You all right, baby?”

Nancy winced again. “Yeah, just wanted to…wash away the taste. You were kinda deep, and I didn’t want to throw up from the combination of that and the oil.”

“Sorry,” he told her sheepishly.

She flashed him a quick smile. “Don’t be. You liked it, right?”

Ned nodded, giving her a huge grin. “It was amazing, as always.”

“Good. Now, I’m not done with you yet.” She set down her now-empty glass and stood on her knees again.

“Time for more oil?” Ned’s expression was hopeful.She nodded and was about to open the bottle when he stopped her.“Wait! Are you ever going to take your clothes off? I seem to be naked, but you’re not - that seems very, very wrong, Drew.Not that that thing doesn’t make your breasts look even more amazing than they normally do, but I want you naked up against me.”

She shrugged. “If you insist…” She began undoing the clasps at the front of the garment in agonizingly slow movements. If Ned’s hands hadn’t been bound, he would’ve pushed hers out of the way and ripped it off of her. When she flicked open the last clasp, the bustier fell to the bed, leaving her nude from the waist up.

“Better,” Ned told her. “Now, I think you promised me another massage, gorgeous.”

“I did,” she acknowledged. He thought she was about to grab the bottle from the nightstand again, but she first leaned down so that her bare breasts brushed his chest. She gave him a closed-mouthed kiss, which Ned eagerly returned, then slid her tongue between his lips.

They kept kissing for a while, and Ned could feel his erection pushing up against her firm stomach. “I missed you,” Nancy whispered after removing her mouth from his. “I missed you so much. I love you so much, Ned.”

Ned was surprised to see the hint of tears shimmering in her blue eyes. “I missed you, too, Nancy. I hate when we’re apart, but especially when we’re apart for seventeen days. When you told me this morning that you weren’t coming home again, I have to admit that it pissed me off. It’s bad enough when we have to spend the week in different cities, but…” He left the sentence unfinished.

“I know, and I’m so sorry, baby. It kills me to be away from you – I think about you all of the time. You know I wouldn’t do what I’m doing if I didn’t absolutely have to. Having Onyx out there, waiting to unleash what he has on all of us if we can’t get to him first…It’s not good for me or the others, honey.”

“Like Frank Hardy and his brother?” Ned wanted to curse himself for mentioning Frank when he and Nancy were together like this. The last thing he wanted was for Hardy to play any part in their sex life.

Nancy sighed. “Yes, like Joe and… the rest.”

“So, how did you manage to get away? I thought you said that you were too busy to see me.” He tried to keep anger and hostility out of his tone, but didn’t think he was very successful at it.

Nancy reached up and smoothed his dark hair away from his forehead. “Well, our search happened to lead us to San Francisco. Since it happens to be in the same time zone as Los Angeles, I asked if he could do without me for a few days because I needed time with my handsome, sexy husband. I couldn’t be apart from him any longer.” She ran her index finger over Ned’s lips and smiled when he opened his mouth and gently bit down on the tip. She leaned forward and kissed him again.

“I’m surprised he let you go when you told him that,” Ned snorted.

“Don’t start,” she pleaded.“With only an hour-long flight keeping us apart, I was going to find a way to see you, no matter what. And, anyway, what are we doing talking about other men when we’re both naked and in bed? Our time together is precious, Nickerson – let’s not waste it on this when I could think of much better things I could be doing to you.”

In spite of his frustration, Ned felt his lips turn up in a grin. “Like what? Show me.”

“Hmmm, all kinds of naughty, filthy things, I promise.” She gave him one more lingering kiss before pulling away to reach for the bottle of oil. Screwing off the cap, she poured a generous amount onto his chest before carefully setting the bottle back on the nightstand.Nancy slowly ran her hands through the oil to coat them and then scooted up to begin rubbing his arms. Ned craned his neck forward so that he could capture one of her erect nipples in his mouth as she leaned over him.

“Naughty boy,” she giggled, moving away from him.

“What?” he defended himself. “You said tonight was about my pleasure, and playing with those definitely gives me pleasure, Nan. Now, rub some of that oil on them and get back over here.”

“Well, then,” Nancy purred, pouring some oil onto one of her palms and rubbing it into first one of her nipples and then the other, Ned’s eyes following her every move. “I don’t want to deprive you.” She positioned herself so that her breasts were directly in front of his mouth, and Ned alternated between sucking, licking, and biting both of her nipples. “Mmm, that’s good,” she moaned. “But that’s enough – otherwise, I’ll get so distracted that I’ll just yank off this tiny thong and fuck you without a second thought.”

”That sounds like a good idea,” he told her huskily.

“But I have so much more planned, darling,” she cooed. “Now, let me continue.” Nancy moved up to his shoulders and rubbed and kneaded them before sucking on the flesh there.

She slipped her fingers down to his flat nipples and rained kisses down his chest.

When she began to run her tongue down his breastbone, Ned couldn’t hold back a load groan of pleasure. “God, your tongue feels good on me.”

“Do you like this?” she whispered against his skin.

“Please don’t stop,” he whispered back.

She lathered him up with more oil and slowly rubbed it in, her hands teasing and kneading his flesh. When she blew lightly on the line of hair that ran down to the base of his erect cock, Ned shivered and began to squirm. “You are really going to drag this out again, aren’t you?”

Nancy chuckled. “Are you not enjoying it?”

“I am, but I’d also enjoy it if you’d fuck me already,” he growled.

She shook her head. “Not yet, Ned,” she replied teasingly. Using a combination of her hands and mouth like she had before, Nancy ran her lips over his ribcage and around his navel. Traced her tongue over the crease between his leg and groin, slipped her fingers over his knees, and kissed each of his inner thighs. Rubbed her nose over the thick hair on his legs and calves, slid her tongue around his ankles.

When Ned couldn’t take it any longer, he began thrusting his hips upwards in frustration, groaning. “Baby, please. **_Please_**.”

Nancy unclipped her stockings from her garters, then gripped the sides of her thong and pushed it down. She was about to roll her stockings down too when Ned made a noise of disapproval. “Keep them on?” He nodded. She obeyed his request, reclipping them, then suddenly leaning forward to suck another hickey on the other side of his neck.

“Nan,” Ned hissed, arching his hips underneath her again.

She slid back, a gleam in her eye as she straddled his waist with her knees and gripped his cock in her fist, pumping up and down a few times.

“Baby, a hand job would be good, but I just want to fuck.” If she kept going, he was going to explode as soon as he entered her.

Nancy flipped her hair over her bare shoulder and met his gaze. “Say it again.”Her lips were twisted upwards in the hint of a challenge.

“I want you to fuck me; I want you to ride me so that I’m so deep inside of you when I come. Your mouth was amazing and your hands feel incredible, but there is nothing like when I’m inside your tight, hot pussy. _Please_ , sweetheart. I know you must be so wet for me. Using your hands and your toys can’t be the same as having my cock in you.” Saying the words made it all even hotter, and he felt his pulse spike when she opened her legs even wider, exposing her wet and gleaming inner lips. The garters were stretched over her spread thighs and the satin belt trimmed her pubic mound.

“It’s not,” Nancy groaned, gripping his cock again and angling it to her opening. “It’s not even close, baby.” She slid down in maddeningly slow inches, and Ned pushed his wrists against the constraints of the handcuffs in frustration. If he hadn’t been bound, he would have grabbed her hips and pushed her down onto his cock in one swift movement.

She arched her back and took the rest of him in, both of them groaning when he was sheathed to the hilt inside of her. Nancy rose and sank as she rode him, her breasts bouncing with every thrust. No matter how many times they had had done this, Ned never tired of watching her while they fucked, the look of pleasure and satisfaction she always got when he was inside of her.

By this time, she was riding him in frantic deep thrusts, her back arched and her hands splayed on the mattress behind her. She was moaning loudly and when she reached down to pluck at her clit, he found the sight of it was beyond erotic. “Come, baby,” he growled.

She shook her head, continuing to slam into him. “More,” she gasped. “I want you deeper.” Nancy pitched forward, her strawberry blonde hair falling in a curtain around her face as she planted her palms on either side of his shoulders. Her ass was pointed upwards and his eyes literally rolled back in his head when she slid down with one brutal thrust. “Yeah, like that.Oh, God, I think you just hit my G-spot,” she groaned. She began to bounce up and down again, her knees spread so far that she was all but doing a split over him.

“God, you feel so good,” Ned moaned. “I have dreamed about this every single night we’ve been apart, baby. You are so sexy and it feels so good.”

Nancy began uttering little shrieks of pleasure as she slammed him into her, the headboard bouncing against the wall from the force of her thrusts. “Oh, oh, OH. MMMMMMMmmmmmmmm! Oh!” Her screams got louder as she began to orgasm, and he could actually feel her gush against him.

Ned couldn’t hold out any longer. He gave in to his own release, coming inside of her in his own thick, hot gush. He sagged back against the pillows, grinning when she collapsed on top of him.

Nancy couldn’t move. The muscles in her legs were screaming from her recent exertion, and her orgasm made her feel boneless and weak. She nuzzled her face against his chest, and smiled when she heard a purr of satisfaction rumble from deep in his chest.

“Nan?” he asked languidly.

“Yes, honey?” she sighed, feeling like she could stay this way forever. All of their problems, her sadness and guilt and doubts, felt a million miles away.

“It’s great when we lay like this in our post-coital splendor and all, but my arms are killing me.”

Nancy popped her head up. “Oh, baby, I am so sorry! You poor thing!” She sprang out of bed and took the key off of the nightstand, leaning over him to unlock the handcuffs. Ned flexed his arms a few times before rubbing his wrists.“Did they hurt? You didn’t say the safe word…”

Ned shook his head. “Nah. The fur helped a lot, but I was pushing against them, so they rubbed a little.”

She sat down on the mattress next to him and gently rubbed his wrists, brushing her lips against each. “Poor baby,” she crooned. “Did you at least enjoy it?”

Chuckling, he reached out and stroked her hair. “Couldn’t you tell? This was the highlight of my week. The highlight of almost three weeks, actually.” Nancy hung her head, sad that the reality of their situation had come crashing back so quickly.

Ned felt around his neck and shoulders for the areas where she had planted her hickeys. “You talked about marking me… What was that about, Nan?”

Nancy looked at him, feeling slightly embarrassed. She had thought he’d let that comment go.“There are just so damn many beautiful women here, Nickerson.I know they see what I see when I look at you, and we’re apart so much, and…I just want them to know that you’re taken.”

Ned gave her a grin of amusement. “And this wedding ring on my finger?” He stuck his left hand in front of her face and wiggled his fingers so that the third finger with the ring was in plain view. “Isn’t this a sign that I’m taken?”

She sighed. “Some women see themselves as the bull and that ring as the red cape, Nickerson. They view it as their own personal challenge to get a married guy to give in to them.”

“Well, they can charge all they want, Nan – I’m ready for them. Not one of them could ever be as smart and gorgeous and sexy and amazing as you are. Not one of them could ever offer me what you do.”

Nancy felt a huge sense of relief at his words, and yet…”I know you say that now…”

“And I’ll continue to say it forever, Nan. I don’t know what I have to do to prove it to you, but you’re stuck with me forever, Nancy Drew Nickerson.” He lightly tapped the tip of her nose, then planted a kiss there.

She smiled at the sound of her full name on his lips, and her lingering doubts suddenly melted away. “And does that mean that you’re going to stop being jealous of me and…”

Ned cut her off before she could finish. “Don’t you mention his name – didn’t you say that we weren’t going to talk about other men in bed?”

Nancy could tell that he was teasing, but also knew that her words had hit a little too close to home.“You’re right,” she sighed. “But you know that you’re stuck with me, too. Once a Drew Nickerson, always a Drew Nickerson. No one, nothing, or no distance could ever change that.

“So, is there anything I can do to try and convince you to play hooky from work tomorrow and spend the day in bed with me, instead?” she asked, changing the subject. Her voice was husky as she slowly ran her hand up and down his chest.

“Oh, I won’t do a damned thing to stop you from trying to convince me, Nan, but the answer’ll have to be no,” he sighed regretfully. “If I had more notice…”

Nancy sighed, too. ”Well, then how about meeting me here for lunch for a quickie?” she asked, her tone brightening.

“Baby, with the traffic here, my lunch hour will be taken up by the commute,” Ned pointed out, propping himself up on his elbows. “But…”

“Yes?” she asked, raising an eyebrow as he looked down at her mischievously.

“If you come meet me for lunch at my office, we can use the private bathroom I have in my office to…reconnect,” Ned proposed, his dark eyes sparkling. “I can lock the outer door, and we can go in there for some fun. Then afterwards, I can introduce you to my staff.”

“Oh, I’m well acquainted with your staff,” she giggled, placing her hand on his cock.

Ned swatted at her as she continued to giggle. “Dirty girl. My **_team_** would like to meet you – they think I’m making you up. Especially Jack – although, he already told me that he thinks you’re hot and that he’s into redheads, so maybe it isn’t the best idea.”

She gave him a grin. “Ooh, maybe I should meet him."

He made a face at her. “Okay, I don’t know about you, but I’m starving. Did I imagine it, or did I smell Mexican chicken casserole when I walked in here?”

“I thought my nearly-naked body could distract you from food, Nickerson, but I guess not,” she teased, poking at his stomach. “Yes, not only did I get supplies for our fun time this evening, but I also went food shopping and made you dinner. **And** , I cleaned up in here. You’re damn lucky to have me, Nickerson.”

“Truer words were never spoken, beautiful.” He lightly tugged at a lock of her strawberry blonde hair. “And since you have been so good to me tonight, let me heat up dinner and serve you in bed.” Ned rose and planted a quick kiss on her forehead. “Be right back, Nan.”

“Hurry back,” she called after him, standing up to strip the messy towel off of the bed and already anticipating his return. No matter what else was going on, or whether they had been seen each other an hour ago or a week ago, they always connected in bed.Sometimes she wondered if it they used sex as a panacea for their problems, but honestly, it was so damn incredible whenever they were together that she didn’t want to voice those doubts aloud to him. Nancy didn’t know about what would happen after she had to leave him on Friday night, but for now, all she felt was contentment.


	7. Chapter 7

The neighborhood grocery store was warm, and Nancy was thankful; outside the wind had cut through her wool peacoat, her pumpkin-orange sweater, and her jeans. The meat display was festooned with fake fall leaves, and the sale displays were bordered in pilgrim hats and fat turkeys. Nancy exchanged smiles with Sandy Carroll from down the block and gave a little finger-wave to Ellen Baker's little boy as they strolled by.

The house was too empty tonight; she'd had to leave, and she didn't trust herself to call Bess or George or her father and not pour out everything she was feeling. She didn't want to give voice to it. She was afraid that if she did, she and Ned would have a huge argument.

As she pushed the empty cart around the store, she realized she had no idea what to buy. Ned was supposed to come home over the weekend, but she wasn't holding out much hope. He'd had to cancel his last two trips home when clients had requested revised presentations.

He had sworn he would be home for Thanksgiving. She had sworn she would be home at Thanksgiving. The turkeys were already on sale, and she knew that even if they weren't home—

God. Her eyes were stinging as she stared down at the frozen birds. She was already fucking planning for Thanksgiving being ruined.

She stared up hard, into the fluorescent lights. She was _not_ going to fucking cry in public.

She found herself on the medicine aisle, anyway. In front of the pregnancy tests.

She knew she wasn't pregnant—she _knew_ it—but the last time she and Ned had managed to spend a few days together, she had shuffled her birth control pills to make sure she wasn't on her period. She had always been scrupulously careful about taking them, but she wondered if she had missed one, because her period was late. By two days.

She wasn't pregnant. No.

But what would they do, if she was?

She had pushed the cart another four feet—she would be damned if she bought a pregnancy test here, where everyone in their entire neighborhood shopped and would see—and that miserable train of thought was cut off by her cell phone's ring. She fished her phone out of the side pocket of her purse, her heart rising at the prospect of talking to her husband.

Instead, Frank Hardy's face greeted her from the screen. Her heart sank. She had spoken to Frank more often than she had her husband in the past week, it seemed. Ned and his creative team were working hard to land a hot new tech account, on top of all his other accounts, and by the time he crept into his bed at night, he was too exhausted to talk to her for long. And she missed the long conversations they used to have, but she couldn't remember the last one that had been longer than five minutes.

"Hi Frank."

"Hope you have a free space on your passport."

"Is the sky blue?" She chuckled. "And where are we jetting off to this time? As long as we can be back for the weekend..."

"Oh, I'm sure we'll be back by the weekend," Frank said, in a way that let her know their trip could easily expand to a week and a half. "I... found something. Meet me at LaGuardia; I'll pick up our tickets this time."

"Meet you when, exactly?"

"Eh—I'll text you when I make the reservations. Tomorrow morning."

"Mmm. I'm gonna hold you to it, Hardy. If I'm not back by the weekend, your ass is grass."

"Duly noted."

She dumped lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, cucumber, and croutons into her cart, irritated that collecting everything took a trip around the store again, and when the woman at the checkout asked sympathetically if she and her husband were still trying to work things out, Nancy almost lost it right there. They were not fucking separated. He was just out of town for work and—

And to anyone else, it looked like they _were_ separated. Because they literally were.

She turned the radio up loud on the way home to keep herself from getting even angrier.

Frank sent the information in their cipher code, and Nancy printed it out to decrypt it as she ate her salad at the kitchen table. _Onyx's agent meeting Michel and Cheryl Rousseau in Paris, Thurs at dinner._

And Frank wanted them to impersonate the agents. In _Paris_.

When her cell phone rang, she almost thought it would be Frank again. Instead, Ned smiled at her from the screen. "Hey," she sighed as she answered.

"Hi?" Ned said hesitantly. "You sound like you're in the middle of something."

"Just dinner." Nancy shoved her plate away. Her stomach was doing flips. "I'm finished now, though. What's up, sweetheart?"

"Not much. Just missed hearing your sexy voice."

"Same here," Nancy admitted, abandoning the cipher on the table as she walked over to the couch. "I wish I was with you."

"I bet you do. What was the wind chill there today, like twenty below?"

"And you probably drove around in a convertible today, sipping tequila and flipping off cops."

"How did you know? Except when I'm provoking law enforcement into high-speed chases, my liquor of choice is Courvoisier." Ned chuckled. "I miss you too."

And she didn't want to talk about it. She didn't want to talk about Frank's ridiculous plan or being late or what the cashier had said or any of it, she just wanted to bask in the warm glow the sound of his voice gave her. "And you know the best thing to do in twenty-below weather?"

"Does it involve you and me naked in a sleeping bag?"

"Basically." She closed her eyes. "Frank's got a new lead. He wants us to head out tomorrow morning."

Ned was quiet for a moment. "Just don't pack any sleeping bags, okay?"

"I won't. I definitely won't. And the next time I see you—"

"The next time I see _you_ ," Ned corrected her, "we'll be lucky if we get to the bed before I get you naked."

"And that's gonna be this weekend, right?" she said hopefully.

"I..." Ned trailed off, and Nancy rubbed her temple. She could feel a lump rising in her throat. "I don't think I can get out there. But can you get out here?"

"Sure," Nancy murmured.

"I know—it won't be worth it, I have a ton of shit going on this weekend—"

"If I get to sleep next to you, wake up to you, maybe climb on top of you and fuck your brains out a few times, it'll be worth it." She ran her hand through her hair. "He swears we'll be back by the weekend..."

"Which means you won't," Ned said. "Shit, Nan..."

Nancy sighed. "He promises."

"Yeah, well, we both know how much his promises are worth."

When they hung up, she had a feeling their argument had only died because they were both exhausted. Nancy cast about mentally for something, _anything_ , to distract herself, but she found nothing there. She felt just as frustrated as Ned seemed to be.

_When something's important in your life, you make time for it._

She glanced at the stairs, but didn't move toward them. Why bother going upstairs to bed? It just reminded her that he wasn't there. God, she missed him. She missed him so much. She couldn't believe she had ever taken for granted just the fact that she had ever gone seven consecutive days waking up beside him.

One day she was going to say the words.

_Come back home to me, baby. For good._

She was just afraid that when the day came, she wouldn't know what his answer would be. And if she didn't get her period soon, that day would be sooner rather than later.

\--

Ned walked in the next morning staring intently at his cell phone. His email notification had been going off like crazy in the car, and he'd had twelve new emails when he pulled into his parking space.

"Please tell me the galleys aren't on my desk," he greeted Heather.

Heather shrugged. "They probably are; Kesey and Rower have been in and out of your office four times already."

Ned groaned. The galley proofs _were_ on his desk. He booted his computer and pulled up his email to respond to Adrienne's request for the thirty-second promos—then got frustrated and forwarded that to Jenkins.

The Instamo push was going to be huge—or it was going to flop. The account was a huge gamble and if the product launch didn't take within the first three months, Ned was sure that was going to vanish.

Another email came in saying that the ad slicks wouldn't work for the _Times_ —the Sunday edition's web size had changed. Ned forwarded that one to Michaels, rolling his eyes. The clients always acted like that was the end of the world.

Days like today, hectic, energetic days, made Ned happy to be alive, happy he had accepted the promotion. No Andrew to continually fuck up projects; that happened on a lower level than his own, now. The deadlines were still nerve-racking, the clients were still generally overly demanding and picky, but he loved the chaos of it all. By the end of the day he would have it organized and ready—well, assuming he didn't have a repeat of Friday, when everything had just gone to shit from the moment he had walked in.

His life in Los Angeles was perfect, save one detail: his wife. If Nancy were here with him, he would have absolutely no complaints at all.

_Casting couch at 1pm. ;)_

Ned rolled his eyes, ignoring the email from Scott. The unmarried—or more dickish—guys loved casting days. The account was one Ned was half-involved in, so he could stop by if he wanted. He didn't particularly want to.

What he _wanted_ —

He didn't let himself think about what exactly he wanted. While Nancy had occasionally pulled a little bait and switch on him, he had a feeling that wasn't going to happen this time. She was going to be out of town again. No matter how she protested, he was sure that Frank was going to make sure she was out of town again.

Killing Frank Hardy was in no way an option on the table. He'd probably lose his job over it, for one.

The Instamo brainstorming session went out of hand quickly. Two of the geniuses under him wanted to make the main push through social networking sites. Another pair thought interactive ads were the way to go. The ones who favored print, Ned almost entirely ignored. The target market for the product ignored print media.

Ned had finally found the time to go over the galleys on his desk right after lunch, when a piece of art caught his eye. A girl in a pink halter dress, one foot kicked up in the air, her hand flirtatiously over her mouth, her eyes dancing. Another intentionally retro layout with sleek modern text at the bottom.

Ned missed his wife. He fucking missed her so damn much, and while a few of his coworkers _had_ seen her the day she had come to visit him for lunch, that had been a while ago. Whenever the partners and management held their company retreats and lavish trips, Ned had to make his excuses for why _he_ didn't have a vacant blonde or sharp-eyed brunette on his arm. The more distant her visit, the more convenient they all seemed to find it to ignore the fact that he _had_ a wife.

Ned looked down at his ring.

They had said it without really saying it. The distance, the stress... she had been worried about what she might do, if they were apart too long. And she was going somewhere with Frank, _again._

At least it wasn't Paris.

He was _pretty_ sure it wasn't...

"Mr. Nickerson? Ms. Ryan to see you."

Ned was trying to come up with a way to give her the blow-off without being obvious about it when his office door swung open, revealing Carly. Ned's gaze dragged up from her trim waist and curvy hips to the half-smile on her face.

"Well, isn't this a surprise," Ned said, putting a pleasant smile on his own face.

"I'll try to make it a good one," Carly said, her voice pitched just the right way to make his blood sing. She closed his office door.

Then she snapped the deadbolt in place.

Simultaneously Ned had three thoughts:

The last time he had locked his office door had been when Nancy had been visiting and they had scrambled for his personal bathroom but made it to his desk instead.

His secretary was definitely rolling her eyes right now.

This was _not fucking okay._

Ned had just opened his mouth to deliver some slightly more polite version of the last when Carly walked over to him. _Walked_ wasn't really the right word. She seemed to glide.

She was utterly fucking gorgeous. And she wasn't flirting with him. Definitely not flirting with him. If he had to deal with her flirting with him—God, no, he did not by any stretch of the imagination want to deal with that.

Carly touched the edge of his desk, shifting her weight to jut her hip out. "So Allen told me that you aren't on my account anymore," she said. Her voice was still that low warm purr. _She's on first-name with a partner_ , Ned thought, almost clinically calm. "Said you have a few big new accounts you're working on. And I was just wondering what exactly I could do... that might convince you to stay on ours."

"Sorry." He widened the smile for a moment. "Mike is really great, though. He has a lot of interesting ideas about the launch—"

Carly reached down and smoothed Ned's tie, her gaze on that instead of his face. "I'd feel far more comfortable if you were still on our team."

Then her eyes flicked up, to Ned's face.

Ned swallowed. Whenever Nancy tried that move on him, _God_. He pushed his chair back a little, rising. "Let me talk to Allen, see if I can't sit in on the next session."

She favored him with a wide, slow smile. "I'll be expecting you," she said, holding his gaze for a moment longer before she pushed off his desk. Her hips swayed rhythmically as she went to his office door.

Ned let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding when she was finally gone. Heather poked her head through his office door, her eyebrows up, and he waved her off.

He tried to keep going over the galleys, but he couldn't concentrate at all. He growled to himself and pushed away from his desk, standing.

Lyndsey Trent's office was on the next floor. Ned took the stairs, just in case Carly had made any other stops on her way out.

Ugh. He hadn't taken himself off her account; it had just ended up that way when they'd landed the Instamo campaign.

Lyndsey's secretary was away from her desk. Ned knocked on the partially-open inner door, then pushed it a few feet. Lyndsey glanced up, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. "Come on in, killer," she said with a smirk.

Ned made a face, but crossed to the visitor chair facing her. Lyndsey swore that his first day at the branch, she had overheard one of the secretaries swearing she would get him in bed before the year was out. She had refused to tell Ned which one it was, but "ladykiller" had stuck.

"So. Carly Ryan."

Lyndsey had been glancing over at her computer, but she turned her gaze back to Ned, and for an instant he was pinned by the intensity. He got along with her, especially once he had figured her out. She sized people up in an instant and she was rarely, if ever, wrong. She also had no intention of making a move on him, or anyone else, and she played things very close to the vest.

He was married to a woman who never did things any other way.

The corner of Lyndsey's mouth turned up. "She paid you a visit, huh."

"Yeah, and to be honest... she's starting to scare me a little."

"A big handsome man like you." Lyndsey's eyes sparkled with amusement for a moment longer, before she glanced at her email program. "Can't imagine why."

Ned sighed. "I just want to head this off. If she comes to you with any..."

Lyndsey waved her hand. "I get it. Naughty girl, blameless victim..."

Ned set his mouth and Lyndsey glanced up at him again. "So how's your wife doing?"

Unconsciously Ned touched his ring. "She's doing okay. I miss her."

"Maybe she'll be able to come out for the Christmas party?" Lyndsey raised her eyebrows. "I'm sorry, our holiday observance. Maybe all you'd need to do is get her and Carly in the same room..."

Ned wasn't sure why, but the thought of Nancy and Carly in contact made him nervous. Carly had never said what her offer had entailed, but she hadn't needed to; Ned could imagine her working skillfully with innuendo and intimations, and Nancy flying off the handle. She had been so moody lately—had been moody since he had taken this job, to be honest.

One day he was going to break down and do it, break down and ask her to come out here, to be with him. She had sworn she never would, but surely she would see it the way he did. They could have a great life out here, and every morning when he woke to see the bed empty beside him, he could feel them slipping a little further apart. What kind of marriage could they possibly have, like this? The sex they had when they reunited was mind-blowing, but he hadn't married her for that. Not only that, anyway.

He would beg her, but he knew what her answer would probably be, and he was afraid of what he would do when he heard it.

\--

"I can't do this anymore. We can't do this anymore."

Nancy nodded, pulling Ned into her arms. His lips found the join of her neck and shoulder, as his fingers slipped beneath the hem of her shirt. She wrapped herself around him, feeling the solid beat of his heart against hers, and she felt a weight she hadn't realized she had been trembling under drop from her shoulders, leaving her light, delirious with joy.

Oh, _God_ , she hated being away from him, apart from him. She had had to keep herself quiet, to keep him happy, but _God_ , to be with him again, truly with him—

"I love you," she murmured, as his fingers gently ran through her hair.

"I love you too, sweetheart," he whispered, his lips brushing her earlobe. "So much. And when you're not with me..."

"It just feels empty," she finished, pulling back to look into his eyes. She smiled at him. "Oh, baby—"

"I know."

"This is your captain speaking."

Nancy came out of her daydream and actually felt that weight settle onto her again. She couldn't even fantasize about him coming back to her. The disappointment she felt on coming back to reality made it all the worse.

And Frank was sitting beside her.

Nancy closed her eyes tight to keep the tears behind her lids. Above their heads the fasten seat belts sign lit up with a chime. Her throat ached from the recycled air and the lump growing there, and she tried to swallow it down.

Even the delight of having a mystery to solve wasn't enough to drown it out. Frank's sympathetic gaze, Frank's open arms, weren't what she wanted. She wanted Ned with such intensity that she _ached_.

She took off her seat belt with a soft muttered sigh. "The turbulence—"

Nancy shook her head impatiently, moving out into the aisle, heading for the small noisy bathroom. She could not talk to Frank about this, had no intention of talking to Frank about this whatsoever. Especially considering their destination.

She shut herself into the lavatory and stared up at the ceiling, willing the tears to stay in her eyes. She hated even thinking it, but maybe if she _was_ pregnant, he would come home to her. They would be together again.

Oh God, oh _God._ No. They weren't ready for a baby, they weren't, she knew they weren't ready...

A moment later, she knew for sure she wasn't pregnant.

Nancy returned to her seat, gripping seat-backs, until she landed heavily in her assigned seat again. "You okay?"

Nancy shot Frank a tight smile. "Yeah, just felt sick for a second. Sorry."

"It's okay." Frank patted her shoulder, a little awkwardly, and turned back to his case notes.

As soon as she and Frank were in the airport, heading toward the baggage carousel, she hung back a little and pulled out her cell phone. Ned was at work, but with any luck...

No. Her call went to his voicemail.

God, she wanted to hear his voice so badly. She hung up without leaving a message, though, and trudged after Frank.

Ten minutes later her phone rang, when she and Frank had settled into the back of a cab. Ned smiled at her from the display.

"Hey sweetheart."

"Hey," Ned said with a sigh. "You called?"

"Yeah. Just wanted to let you know we're on the ground, on the way to the hotel."

She waited for him to ask her what was wrong, what that note in her voice was. Instead he sighed again. "I'm glad. I'm glad you're okay. What's the name of the hotel?"

"Uh—I'm not sure. As soon as we get there I'll call and let you know."

"Well, while we're on the phone—I know you said you were going to try to make it up here this weekend—"

That wasn't what she had said, but she made a noncommittal noise in response.

"I'll be supervising on a shoot, so it's okay, I'll be totally slammed. Maybe on Wednesday or Thursday I can take a half-day off, if you can get down here, and we can maybe grab dinner?"

Nancy forced herself to take a breath, and almost lashed back at him, but Frank was beside her and his studied disinterest was just that. "That sounds great, honey. I'm sorry about your weekend. I hope it isn't too stressful."

"Me too. And Nan—be careful, okay? And let me know the name of your hotel."

"I will," she promised, and hung up. He hadn't asked, but he'd sounded distracted. She was on her period, anyway. He wouldn't have touched her.

Well, he would have touched her, just not the way she wanted him to. And God, she hated when it first started, and she was on the verge of tears for no reason at all. She just wanted him to hold her. But she couldn't tell him about the roller coaster the past few days had been, not over the phone.

How else could they talk, though? How else had they been able to talk, since he had moved out there?

Frank had reserved them a pair of adjoining rooms, to make coordinating and planning easier. She propped that door open after she let Ned know the name of her hotel via text message, and when her phone rang, she was sure Ned was calling just to confirm.

Instead, Rascielli was on the phone.

"Drew?"

"Yep," Nancy confirmed, unzipping her suitcase. "What's up?"

"You're in Paris?"

"I am."

"Thank God. We have a job. You got a couple hours?"

Nancy took a few notes on the hotel notepad, then hung up. "Hey," she said, walking through the connecting door, just to see Frank hanging up his dress clothes. "Got a job. Be back in a little while."

Frank frowned. "We have a lot to go over," he said. "Recon, tracking down the connection. Where are you going?"

"I can't tell you."

Frank made an expansive gesture. "Yeah, because I'm so going to tell everyone. Seriously, what's the job?"

"Oh, come _on_ , Ne—"

She caught herself before she actually finished calling Frank by her husband's name, but he had caught her slip, and he looked at her sharply. She covered her mouth, flushing a little. "Look, it won't take long, and then we can go over everything." She shook her head, closing the door between their rooms as she headed back into her own.

Her phone rang when she was in the cab.

" _Paris?_ " Ned said as soon as she answered.

He caught her off-guard; she had expected a reaction, tried to plan for it, but instead she found herself snapping back, "Yes, _Paris_."

Ned growled a little. "Nan—"

"You know what?" she said angrily. "I'm sick and damn tired of this, okay? It's a fucking job and I'm an adult and what exactly is so wrong with me being in Paris?"

Ned waited a beat. "You _know_ what's wrong."

"If you're so worried about me jumping into bed with him maybe you should get over here and do something about it," she said, her voice shaking with anger, and hung up on him.

He didn't call back.

The anger made her feel incredibly, righteously powerful. She was dressed in unremarkable clothes, and she walked into the airport holding her ticket stubs, checking the departures and arrivals, lingering at the baggage carousel. She caught sight of Evans chatting with another guy in a suit, striding purposefully out of the airport, wheeled black leather bags gliding along easily behind them.

She had to wait, after she trailed Evans to his hotel. She had been sure that he would leave his room for some reason—a trip to the gym, out for dinner; in a pinch, a trip to the ice machine might work—and it took an hour for him to do so. While she waited, she kept waiting, dreading for her phone to ring. She didn't want to hear from Frank, but she especially didn't want to hear from her husband.

She glanced down at the band around her left ring finger.

How dare he. How fucking dare he. If he gave any kind of damn at all—

Her face flushed, and she felt an almost paralyzing rage tighten her jaw. If he were close enough, if he were on the same continent as she, she would have punched him in the face. As it was, she was left seething.

Ned had nothing to worry about, when it came to Frank, and every time he implied that he did, oh, she wanted to prove him right. She would never do it. She would never walk in and take Frank's necktie in her hand and lead him to the closest bed. Would never.

But he'd go, if she did. He'd follow, and his kisses would be rough; they would scrabble and grope at each other's clothes, desperate, anxious to take advantage of the moment before cooler thoughts prevailed. She could see it in her head, clear as day.

She knew without stopping to add it all up that she had seen Frank more often, lately, than she had her husband. She was getting to the point that she could predict his mood just by the angle of his head when he tilted it. Ned was beginning to feel like the secret boyfriend, the guy her dad didn't approve of, the one she had to fuck secretly in hotel rooms or back at his place instead of bringing home.

How could he give her shit about Frank when he was fucking _surrounded_ by gorgeous long-legged women who would need less than the promise of an interested glance to invite themselves into his bed? And she _knew_ him, knew that he burned for her practically every second of every day, just the way she did for him. It felt like desperation inside her, her _need_ to be close to him, to just slide back into the intimacy that had once been so easy for them.

Now, though? Now there was always another goodbye, another break, another interruption. She so desperately wanted to ask him to put a deadline on it, to say when he would come back for good, but this limbo was agony.

She planted the bug swiftly in the bedside handset, in and out in two minutes. To avoid flagging down a cab directly outside, she walked down half a block, to a string of restaurants.

She pulled her cell out of her pocket and called Frank. "Hey, want me to pick you up anything to eat? I'm about to head back."

She used to only say that to Ned.

Well, fuck him.

\--

Getting the filming permits to go through had been a fucking nightmare. Ned had only been privy to about half of that, but it had been enough. Just the quietest mention of the Air launch was enough to send more seasoned execs than Ned into agonized despair.

The client had insisted. The client always insisted.

And, given everything else, Ned was actually glad.

The email came through on Wednesday. With any luck, the shoot would be done Friday. And Ned offered to go, since someone needed to be on the set to make sure everything went according to plan. His team could run while he was gone, come up with some new ideas and get ready for a new pitch Monday. Plus, the execs on the Air account were burned out and would be happy if they never saw a single reference to the damn account again.

He didn't bother calling Nancy to tell her. A small spiteful part of him didn't want to call her back at all; he wanted to wait for her to break down first, to take that small, meaningless victory instead of swallowing his own pride.

How _dare_ she. How dare she jump to that damn conclusion. It wasn't that he was afraid she was going to sleep with Frank. He wasn't really afraid of that.

Maybe a small part of him was afraid of that.

Paris, for God's sake. _Paris._ And she had the nerve to act like she had no idea why he was at all upset.

If he called her, talked to her, he would yell, and so he didn't. He boarded the plane already mentally composing emails to clients, going over the latest specs from the creative team. She was a big girl and she could fend for herself, and he wasn't going to just come running, he wasn't. He had volunteered to come over on this account, but he wasn't just running after her.

The longer he went without her, without anything more than hearing her voice across a long-distance telephone line, the more he _wanted_ her. When the plane touched down in Paris, and he _knew_ she was probably nearby, he couldn't help it. He pulled out his cell phone, debating for a long moment.

It was a stupid fight. It was shocking that it had taken them so long to have it.

_It... it was nothing._ Nancy had tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, looking away from him. _I didn't think it was anything. We were at this little cafe in Paris, going over the case—you know, how amazing it was, the blind luck, the close calls. We weren't even drunk, not on alcohol anyway, but there's this high that happens right after, and it's like nothing else._

_I know. I know how it is._

She had twisted her fingers together. _We were just on the way out, in the street, when he said it, so casually. 'We should do this permanently. For the rest of our lives.' And for the longest time I had no idea what he was talking about. I teased him, told him that of course we would keep doing this, until we were hobbling around on artificial hips and throwing canes at bad guys. And he liked that._ She chuckled a little, but there was no humor in it.

_And then he said what he meant._

Frank Hardy was infatuated with Ned’s wife. Ned was pretty sure he had been since they'd met. And that wasn't the kind of thing that could go away with time and space, oh no. Oh no. He would always look at her and wonder if there was a way, because Ned knew that was exactly what he would do. If he was without her, he would always want to find a way to get her back, regardless of circumstance or logic or anything else.

Ned sighed and put the phone back in his pocket. He'd call her when he was a little less jetlagged, when he didn't feel like he was about to crawl out of his skin. He’d pulled an all-nighter to finish up some last-minute work before he’d left, and he felt utterly exhausted.

Even so, before he drifted off, he forced his eyes open long enough to send her a text.

\--

_Have dinner with me tonight._

It wasn't a request. Nancy found that hilarious.

She hadn't received any communication from him whatsoever for three days. She had almost been anxious enough to contact him herself. Not to apologize, because she refused to apologize for this, and always had, but just to find out if he was still angry. Her imagination, fueled by hormones, had run rampant. She was imagining gorgeous women who cooed and nodded sympathetically when he explained that his wife was a bitch who had the nerve to jet off to Paris without him, with a guy who had always had a thing for her.

And then she would think, _I'm not the one who left, am I._

Frank was checking out the restaurant they would be visiting tonight. Nancy was going over the dossier again. One slip and, well, she was afraid of what would happen.

_Meeting a contact for dinner, can get a drink after. Where are you?_

She read it over and deemed it neutral enough, then sent it.

The last thing she had said to him had been a challenge for him to come over and deal with his jealousy. Had he actually flown over? Had he actually gone that far?

The longer her message went without a reply, the more anxious she became. She tried to concentrate on the dossier, but gave up after five minutes and walked over to her suitcase.

Cheryl, the woman she was impersonating, had dark hair, so Nancy had the appropriate wig. Since the meeting was for business, she had selected a purple v-neck sheath dress and a leather jacket, low sensible heels in case she needed to run. Given the way the case had gone so far, she would be surprised if she _didn't_ have to run. She looked it all over again, checked her watch, and wondered if Frank had run into any trouble.

When her phone went off with a text notification nearly an hour later, she pounced on it immediately, hating herself. Ned agreed to meet for drinks, and texted her the name of his hotel. She did a quick search and found it a few seconds later; he was across the city from her, of course.

Right now he was across the city from her, instead of an ocean and a continent away as she’d thought.

They hadn't been that close to each other in what felt like a month.

Nancy was debating about exactly how to reply when Frank keyed into his room, and she strode to the connecting door, pulling it open. In that single unguarded moment before he knew she was watching and composed himself, she saw an expression there she couldn't quite interpret.

"Something wrong?"

Frank glanced up, and while he gave her a perfunctory smile, his gaze was still somehow focused inward. "I... nah. Tonight should be pretty easy." His eyes met hers. "Guess we should get ready to go, huh."

Nancy nodded, selecting some appropriate underwear before she went to her room's shower.

She had been afraid that, given the level of Onyx's paranoia and Frank's cautious nature, he would insist that they keep the charade up even in their hotel room, that the passports and plane tickets and disguises wouldn't be enough. She was glad that they weren't sharing a room. Insanely glad. She didn't like the idea of Frank waking to see her shivering in the grip of some quickly fading dream about her husband, and she definitely didn't like the idea of his bearing any kind of witness to the argument they were having. She sensed that it wasn’t going to be over anytime soon, and Frank most likely already knew she was on edge. She just didn’t want it on display for him to see.

She was in the shower when she looked down. A part of her wanted to go outside right now, flag down a cab, go to Ned's hotel right now, but her temper flared whenever she actually imagined seeing him. She was going to have to talk to him and it was going to get ugly.

She hated arguing with him. But if that was the only way he was going to understand what he was doing to them—

She glanced down, her lips quirking in a humorless smile as a slender red thread traced down the inside of her leg. Well, it wasn't like her husband was going to touch her, when she was like this, so at least he wouldn't be able to distract her that way.

Despite everything, the thought of seeing him again so soon did send a shiver of anticipation down her spine—and straight into the knots of tension in her belly.

None of that showed on her face when she and Frank slid into the cab, heading for the restaurant. That strange expression was still on Frank's face, although it was more subtle now.

"Think it's actually going to be Onyx there?"

From his look, she knew he was considering it for the first time. "If it is, we're fucked," he said quietly. "We'd pass with an intermediary, but I can't imagine that we're not on Onyx's radar at all."

"And we have no way to know if whoever is waiting for us is Onyx, or isn't."

Frank waited a beat. "Want to back out?"

"You calling me chicken, Hardy?" Nancy wrapped her leather jacket a little tighter around her. "Bring it on."

Frank received a text message just before they reached the restaurant, telling him that the meet location had been changed. Standard practice for paranoid spies. He texted back and soon they were on the other side of the city.

What was frustrating was that it seemed to go okay. Frank did most of the talking, although Nancy did interject when the agent asked how he had come by the information. While she would have been more intimate with her own husband if he had been sitting next to her, with Frank, she was pretending to be a member of a pair of spies who happened to also be married; they did glance at each other, they were familiar with each other, but of course they were. They felt like they always had been.

As the agent scrutinized the sample Frank passed over, Nancy felt a stab of something incredibly like homesickness in her belly. She wanted that familiarity with Ned again. They seemed to have so little time to just relax with each other, between their schedules, and when they did meet she was impatient to have as much of him as she could, to go see a movie, to make him dinner, to fill up the time any way she could, like it would be meaningless otherwise.

But God, she just wanted _him_.

Halfway through dinner Nancy felt her real cell phone, not her cover cell phone, vibrate in her pocket. Short vibration. Email notification. When Ned knew she was working, often he just sent an email, in case she would be compromised by a text notification or a missed call.

“Would you care for a refill, sir?” the waitress asked in swift French as she came by their table again.

The agent glanced up, his expression bland. “No,” he murmured, reaching into his pocket for a few bills. “All finished.”

Nancy only noticed that Frank wasn’t looking at the waitress when she realized that he had been.

Nancy picked at the salad she had ordered after the agent nodded and said he would be in touch. Frank glanced over.

“Hey, we can relax now,” he said, trying for a light tone and failing.

“So are you going to tell me what was bothering you?” Nancy asked, sliding her hand into the pocket of her coat. She didn’t yet trust that they weren’t observed, so she just let her fingertips rest on her phone without taking it out.

“It was nothing,” Frank dismissed, but he glanced away. So it was something. “I need a drink, though.”

Nancy fought the urge to glance around. She didn’t need to draw attention to the cell she was about to pull out and tip off someone who might be watching them. She pulled it out and checked her email.

_Need 45 min, an hour tops. Still on?_

Her nerves had just grown worse over the course of their meal, and the delay kicked her tension level up a few notches. “A drink sounds like a great idea,” she murmured.

_Yeah. See you there._

One drink turned into two, and that was where Nancy drew the line, although she was starting to feel that pleasant fuzziness, and knew it would give her a headache if she didn’t keep going. But she would be seeing Ned soon, and she wanted to get a martini with him. She was going to need it.

“Something going on with Ned?”

Nancy glanced over at Frank, unsurprised at his deduction, when they were in the cab on the way back to their hotel so she could change. “He’s in town for something, and he wanted to get a drink too,” she admitted.

“Well, considering we’re done with everything—“

“Are you sure?” she asked, an eyebrow raised. “Because whatever it is that’s bugging you—“

Frank waved a hand. “I told you. Calm down.”

Nancy shook her head. “Men,” she muttered.

“What?”

“Fine. Deal with it on your own.” She shrugged.

Frank sighed. “It’s… Joe’s worried that someone’s already passed over some information about him. He’s noticed that he’s been keeping a tail. And if he’s been compromised, I can’t help but feel it’s only a matter of time before something worse happens—or until you or I are.”

Nancy let out a long, slow breath. “Considering the circumstances of the meet, if someone _wasn’t_ watching us tonight—“

“Yeah,” Frank confirmed. “I was expecting surveillance tonight. But I have an assignment in New York next week, and if anything’s out of the ordinary, or if you spot anyone tracking you—“

“If _I’m_ carrying a tail, then you _know_ _you’re_ in trouble,” she pointed out.

“I’m sorry, who’s the more conspicuous between us?” Frank asked, a trace of his old humor back. “The nondescript brown-haired guy, or the gorgeous redhead with the great body?”

Nancy smirked at him, and would have made a snarky response if the cab hadn’t pulled up at their hotel just then.

Frank slipped his arm around her waist as they were heading to the elevator. She cast a mildly scandalized glance at him.

“What?” Frank murmured from the corner of his mouth. “Can’t be too careful.”

With Ned in the city, Frank definitely couldn’t be too careful. Even though she had every reason to believe he was nowhere near, she still felt her stomach clench at the thought of Ned catching sight of this. And how traitorously she craved just this barest human contact.

She had already mentally planned her outfit—black for severity sounded good—when she and Frank reached their rooms. She entered hers first, flipping on the light and automatically scanning for anything out of place. If Joe thought someone was tracking him, there was no way she could be too careful. She even checked under the bed, and was startled when she heard a knock at the door connecting her room to Frank’s.

Frank was pale when she opened the door, and she saw blood on his fingertips.

“Shit,” she hissed, gazing at him in concern. “What—“

Frank gestured numbly at the bed.

The waitress from the restaurant was lying there, her head on Frank’s pillow, her eyes wide open and staring at nothing. Her throat had been slit. The blood had soaked into the pillow, the spread, but there was no spray on the wall. Nancy took all that in at a glance.

A sheet of hotel stationary was on her chest, the corner stained a deep red.

_Good try._

Nancy glanced from the note to Frank, going white. “What does that mean,” she asked, slowly, fighting to keep her voice even.

“It was nothing—“

“If you say that one more fucking time I’m going to knock you out,” Nancy said, through gritted teeth.

“I’d worked with her a couple of times before, and I asked her to put a bug on the agent—“

“And this is what happened,” Nancy said, glancing back down at the girl. “Okay, so if we weren’t fucking compromised, we are now.”

“Which is why I had to take the risk.”

Nancy ran a hand through her hair. “Ned,” she murmured. “He’s here. If they—“

“They wouldn’t.”

Nancy gestured angrily at the body on Frank’s bed. “Oh? Oh really? You really want to try that bluff again?”

Frank sighed. “Go find him,” he said.

\--

Ned was just adjusting the cuffs of his shirt, the caffeine finally kicking in, when he heard a knock at the door of his hotel room. He glanced at his watch. He had just texted Nancy to let her know he would be ready in five minutes, but hadn’t yet received a reply.

Nancy was standing on the other side of the door, anxiety clear on her face, when he glanced through the peephole.

As soon as he opened the door she stepped in close to him and pulled him into her arms, and Ned relaxed a little. Even though he did not like that expression, not at all, he had been unconsciously bracing himself for a monster of an argument. At least they weren’t starting out with it, the way he had been expecting.

And then he wondered if this was prelude to an apology, an admission of guilt.

When he pulled back, though, he didn’t see any sign of that in her face. She took a step back to retrieve her suitcase from the hallway, then closed the door behind them.

“Have you noticed anyone following you?” she asked, pulling the cap off her hair. Her face was scrubbed clean of makeup, save a trace of lip gloss, and she looked both keyed-up and tired.

Ned shook his head. “Fuck. _Why?_ ”

Nancy sighed. “Maybe he doesn’t know you’re here—oh, shit, yeah,” she said sarcastically. “Like he doesn’t know. God.”

Ned gripped Nancy’s arm. “How about you just sit down and tell me from the beginning?”

Nancy shook her head. “Frank decided to pull something cute, but I guess it’s a good thing that he did—“ She glanced up and saw the expression on his face, and waved her hand. “Decided to try to plant a bug on the person we were meeting. Not anything like that.” She walked over to the bed, but didn’t sit down. “We get back to the hotel and Frank finds her—the person he asked to plant the bug—dead, in his bed.”

Ned paled. “God.”

Nancy nodded. “So Onyx—or the agent; equally bad, let’s be honest—knows where we are, knows he tried to do that. Joe’s spotted a tail. If he’s compromised, Frank probably already is, and here I am, and—“

“And you think—“

“I don’t know what to think,” Nancy admitted, gathering her hair into a fist, then letting it fall down her back. “If Onyx is motivated by retaliation instead of just financial gain like we thought… I just don’t want anything to happen to you.” She glanced up at Ned, her blue eyes meeting his, and Ned sat down.

“I don’t want anything to happen to _you_ ,” he retorted, catching her hand. “So you think the agent figured out who you were?”

“Maybe,” she sighed. “And if he did, who knows. I guess it’s just better to know—the stakes, involved…” She finally sat down, letting out a long sigh, and he could see that her eyes were faintly gleaming.

“Do you want to go get that drink? You look like you need it.”

She shook her head. “Honestly, I don’t,” she said wearily. “I don’t want to talk, I don’t want to do anything. I just want to sit here with you. I haven’t seen you in forever.”

Ned nodded. Generally as soon as they were in the same room, he had her clothes ripped half off; she didn’t look like she was in any mood for that, though. He slipped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her to him, and she rested her head against his chest.

“I’ve missed you so much,” she whispered. “How did you get away?”

“We’re doing a shoot just outside the city tomorrow for a European campaign and we needed someone from the agency on set for insurance reasons,” he explained softly, running his hand up and down her back. “And I wanted to see you.”

“So you weren’t just running over here after—“

“I thought you said you didn’t want to talk,” Ned said, feeling his jaw begin to tighten.

“I don’t,” she said. “God, I don’t. I don’t want to do this.” She had to force the words out.

“Then don’t.”

“That’s not the answer and you know it.”

Ned sighed. “Well, I need to eat some dinner. Do you want me to order some room service, or—“

“We can go downstairs,” she said. “Like we were planning anyway. Go out to a nice place. What do you want to do?”

They ended up in a small restaurant just down from the hotel. Nancy linked her hand through his, her hair covered again, and he saw her glance into the plate glass of storefronts, keeping an eye out for anyone whose interest seemed to be out of the ordinary.

Over dinner she asked him about work, while she sipped slowly from a glass of red wine and ripped a slice of bread into small pieces. Ned told her about the shoot, and he saw genuine interest on her face in response; he avoided any discussion of Carly. After all, for all he knew, he was misreading everything. Maybe Carly hadn’t meant anything by that little visit.

But she had locked the door.

He didn’t want that argument, though, just like Nancy clearly didn’t want the one he could feel building between them.

The tone he had heard in her voice when she had told him that she was in Paris—that fight seemed to have gone out of her, now. He didn’t regret that, but he hated the almost hunted look in her eyes. Damn Frank Hardy for pulling her into this. Frank would have known that she wouldn’t be able to walk away. Especially not now.

“So you’ll be staying with me.”

She smiled. “Like glue,” she told him. “I don’t know what I’d do, if…”

And she still insisted on staying in Chicago, away from him, in their empty house. Ned knew that if some thug walked in with a semiautomatic, they were both as good as dead, but at least he could help defend her. Now, though, he would be worried about her constantly, and he knew she hated that.

_If you were with me…_

Back in his room, he didn’t want to break the fragile détente, so when the door closed behind them he pulled her into his arms, waiting the space of a heartbeat before he brushed his lips against hers. She tasted like wine and—vodka, maybe? The faint sting of it burned against his tongue. She slipped her arms up around his shoulders and kissed him back, hard, standing on her tiptoes.

Ned’s hand slipped under the hem of her shirt, to the small of her back, against bare skin. Nancy pulled back a little and bit her lip.

“I’m… on my period,” she said, and Ned jerked his hand away from her, an apology on his lips.

“I’m sorry,” she murmured. “I mean, if you want, we can do something else… I can go down on you…”

Ned felt his groin tighten in answer, but he shook his head. “No. It’s okay. We need to talk, anyway…”

She gazed up at him. “I don’t want to,” she whispered. “Once we say it…”

She trailed off, but Ned nodded. He understood. And he didn’t want that either.

Nancy glanced over at her suitcase. “I’ll just… get ready for bed, okay?”

When it came to his turn, Ned took a shower, washing off the residue from the flight and his nap, and dressed in boxers. Nancy was sitting in one of the armchairs when he came out of the bathroom, watching a local news report on his television. She was actually able to follow the story, which always made him just a little awed. He could get around in Paris pretty well, but the rapid fire of the reporters’ speech meant he could only pick out every second or third word.

She glanced up at him. “ _Ce qui—_ Sorry. What time do you need to get up in the morning?”

Ned looked at the clock. “I think we only have early morning and after sunset, so… ugh. Too early.”

He sat down on the bed facing her, and she looked up at him, warily. A part of him just wanted to pull her into his arms, to hold her until they fell asleep, to put this off, but it would just linger over them both, and he knew it.

“Let’s get this over with,” he said softly.

Nancy had her knees bent, her legs half tucked under her on the chair; she unfolded herself, put her feet on the floor, clasped her hands, but she didn’t look straight at him. For a moment they sat facing each other, not speaking, and Ned felt himself begin to flush a little.

“The cashier at the grocery store asked if we were still separated,” Nancy said.

Ned’s flush deepened. “Is that what this is—“

She glared at him. “Is that all this is about? Fuck no. No it isn’t. You know me better than that, but kind of, yeah, that _is_ what this is about. Because we _are_ separated, you and me. You live halfway across the fucking country. We see each other when we can steal time away and you’re so busy, and _I’m_ so busy, that that means weeks we spend apart. We’re not _married_ anymore.” She took a breath and he heard it tremble in her throat, a little.

“When I was at Emerson and you were—“

“That’s not the same and you fucking know it,” she replied. “You _know_ it.”

Ned took a breath. “Okay, so if that’s the issue, why the fuck don’t you move out to Los Angeles?”

Nancy paled, her eyes shining. “So that’s it? This is—it’s permanent? You’re not going to move back to Chicago?”

“Nan, I _love_ my job. I love it out there. I love not having to deal with Andrew’s bullshit, I love my team, I love the work I’m doing. I actually feel like I could _be_ somebody, in L.A. The only thing I hate about it is that you’re not there.”

“And I _love_ my life in Chicago,” she retorted, flushing. “I love being with my friends and my family, I love the agency I’m working for, I love all of it. I love our house. _Our_ house. The one we picked out together, the one that has been _ours_ , Ned. Where I want—“

She looked down.

“The only thing that matters is where _we_ are,” he said, angrily. “But _we_ aren’t anywhere. Even if I was with you in Chicago, you would still be here with Hardy.”

“So you’re saying that’s the reason you want to stay in L.A.?”

“No,” he growled. “But you make it sound like you’re just sitting at home waiting for me when that’s not the case at all and we both know it.”

“I thought we would be able to just get through anything, together,” she said.

Ned stood up. “Why are you saying it like that? Like we’re over?”

“Because we can’t go on like this,” she said, and stood up too, tipping her chin back to meet his eyes. “You know we can’t. We had plans, Ned, _together_ , and we can’t act like we’re in any real relationship when it’s just me flying into town so we can fuck and grab a meal and play house.”

“Nancy—“

“Tell me what to do,” she said. “Because I don’t know how to fix this.”

Ned was afraid that if he touched her, he would grab her and shake her. “What did we say, when we got married,” he said softly. “That we’d be together. That wherever you were, I would be. But, Nan… we agreed to this together. We both did.”

“It was a _trial,_ ” she reminded him, as though he had ever forgotten.

“So when we said that, you thought it would just be six months—or, what, less, if I hated it—and then I’d be back in Chicago? Back stuck in that fucking office with Andrew fucking everything up, with half the accounts I have now—“

“It’s not the only agency in Chicago,” she pointed out, folding her arms. “If you’re unhappy there—“

“I _was_ ,” Ned pointed out. “And I’m _happy_ in L.A.”

“So you want to stay.”

“Yeah.” Ned nodded and swallowed hard. “I want to stay and I want you with me.”

Nancy’s eyes filled with tears. Her lips were trembling. “A few days ago, I thought I might be pregnant,” she said, her voice quiet and shaking.

Ned’s eyes widened. “Nan—“

“And a part of me kind of wanted it to be true. I wanted to call you, tell you. Ask you to come back home to me, to help me with our child. And I thought, you know, maybe that was the only way you _would_ come back. That it wouldn’t be enough to come back for me.

“And I was right, wasn’t I.”

Ned shook his head, but he couldn’t speak.

“So say it,” she said, her lip curving down, her voice almost ugly. “What can I fucking say to make you come back? Is there _anything_ I can say?”

“Why are you making it like this?” Ned burst out, his voice rising. “Why are you making it sound like I have to choose, like I can’t be happy with my job _and_ with you? Like that isn’t allowed? When all you want is me back there in Chicago with you, and that means you’ll have everything _you_ want.”

“Because I thought that was what _you_ wanted!” she shouted. “I thought you wanted to settle down there and build a life with me, and then you fucking _jump_ at the opportunity to go out there—“

“We _agreed,_ Nan—“

She waved a hand. “Is that how much you hate me? That you couldn’t wait to get out there?”

Ned couldn’t stand it anymore. He grabbed her and she fought him as he slammed her down onto the bed. “You fucking _know_ that isn’t true,” he told her, his face hot. “You’re all I want.”

“You told me,” she said, straining under him, “that you could always get another job, but you would never find another _me._ But you didn’t mean that.”

Ned growled in frustration. “You can be such a fucking bitch sometimes,” he said angrily. “You get to do what you want but when it’s inconvenient—“

“ _Inconvenient?_ ” She made an incredulous noise. “ _My husband is thousands of miles away and it’s just_ inconvenient?”

“You’re in _Paris,_ ” he pointed out. “You’d be here regardless of where I work. Out here with a guy who killed someone tonight for trying to track him. So don’t even try that card.”

Nancy shook her head. “This was your choice,” she said softly. “Your choice was to leave me.”

Ned pulled back, shaking, afraid he was going to punch her. Instead he slid off the bed and crossed his arms tightly across his chest, pacing. “And your choice is to stay in Chicago without me,” he said, more loudly than he intended.

Nancy sat up. “That was never what we said.”

“Oh, so now you’re actually going to pretend that when you said I could go, you weren’t planning on throwing it in my face like this.”

“I thought it was going to be six months!” she shot back. “I thought you’d realize…”

“What, that I can’t live without you?” Ned could feel that small nerve on the side of his jaw pulsing. “The entire time we were dating, I think you were teaching me that I damn well could if I needed to.”

Nancy went pale again, and didn’t speak for a minute. Then she pushed herself off the bed, swiping at her cheek. “Fine,” she said, her voice so cold it shook.

Ned waited a second before he grabbed her arm, as she reached for her suitcase. “Nan—“

She shook him off. “Go to hell.”

He grabbed her again, tighter, and saw her wince in response. “I don’t want to leave you,” he said softly. “I never want to leave you. I miss you so much. I miss the way things used to be. We used to _talk_ , Nan. All the time. You were my best friend. And now I feel like there’s a thousand things I can’t say to you without starting an argument and—and I don’t even really know who you _are_ right now. You… you thought you were pregnant?”

She swiped at her cheek again, and nodded. “I was a few days late,” she said softly. “And when we picked out our house, I know… we said we didn’t want kids right away, and I know, _shit_ , we aren’t ready for them now…” She shook her head. “But that’s where I saw us. In that house, together. A _family._ ”

“We can _be_ a family,” he said, his voice almost pleading.

She glanced up at him. “In Los Angeles? You want to raise a child in _Los fucking Angeles_? Away from our parents and anyone who could help…”

Ned shrugged. “We could move to a suburb out there, it wouldn’t be in the city…”

“And with the hours you’ve been working out there--“

“I could cut back—“

“Oh, you mean the way you could cut back now, but you don’t. Spend every weekend at work so we won’t have any time together.”

“Don’t you _dare_ ,” Ned said coldly. “You’re out of the _country_ for weeks at a time. Don’t you _dare_ try to put this on me.”

Nancy shook herself free, a little less violently than before, and when he released her she sat down on the bed. “We would both have some changes to make, if we were going to have a child,” she said quietly. “But I don’t want to raise a child in Los Angeles. Or the suburbs,” she added.

“Well, you aren’t pregnant now,” he pointed out.

She glared up at him. "Is that all you can fucking say?"

"I..." He sat down beside her. "If you... if you were pregnant... having a child with you..." He shook his head. "The idea scares the shit out of me. And I want it, I want a family with you. I just want everything to be perfect, and it's not, not right now. I want to not have to worry about money or safety or any of that—"

"You're worried about money?" She raised her eyebrows. "With that incredible apartment?"

"And if we have three kids who all decide to go to Emerson, who take after their mother and want brand-new Mustangs on their sixteenth birthdays..."

The corner of Nancy's mouth turned up, despite her mood.

"I worry about you all the damn time," he said. "Especially when you're so far away from me, like this. It has nothing to do with Hardy. Well, not everything to do with Hardy." Ned shook his head. "I..."

He trailed off, unable to lob that particular nuclear option in her direction yet.

When she was quiet for a moment, he glanced back up at her and murmured, "It'd be easier with Hardy, wouldn't it."

She pulled her knees up to her chest, resting her chin there, looping her arms around. "Maybe," she murmured. "It'd be easier with one of those gorgeous tanned—women you meet at your work, wouldn't it."

Ned glanced over at her again. "Maybe," he murmured. "Easier, but I would never find anyone who would make me as happy as you make me."

"Same here," she murmured.

Ned shook his head. "Oh, he would move heaven and earth to make you happy," he said softly. "He would do anything in his power."

"And how do you know that?"

"Because he loves you. Because if I lost you I would move heaven and earth to get you back again, and no matter what he says, Nan, a part of him is always going to hope that he can get you back again. If it were me I would do _anything_. Nan, you... I don't want to do this anymore. I don't want to have to wait until our schedules sync up to see you. There are so many things—barbecues, golf matches, all these things, the parties, and I want to show you off. I want you everyone to meet the gorgeous, charming, incredibly sexy woman I'm married to. And I want you to be happy."

She rubbed her face against her knee. "Why does it have to be this damn hard," she whispered.

He shook his head. "I don't know."

She sighed. "You have to get up early," she said, and she sounded utterly worn out. "Let's go to sleep."

He settled on his back under the covers and pulled her to him, and she nestled into him. He loved having the whole bed to himself at his apartment, but he hated missing out on this. He stayed awake as her breathing evened out, and she was so fragile.

But she was _here._

\--

Nancy opened her eyes in the morning to see her husband just stepping out of the bathroom, clad in just his boxers. He crossed to his suitcase and she glanced over at the alarm clock, then groaned and fell back onto the pillows.

"Go back to sleep," he said softly.

She grimaced. "You're going out to the shoot?"

"Yeah. It's at Versailles."

Nancy's eyes popped open. "You actually got permission to film there?"

Ned had a small grin on his face. " _I_ didn't. A lot of strings were pulled, probably a lot of people were bribed, and we don't get it all day, but yeah. I was surprised too."

While she did want to go with him, to spend as much time with him as she could, she had to check in with Frank—and her exhaustion had caught up with her. She drifted off and when she woke again he was gone, her phone was beside her, and the sun was streaming in through the curtains.

So he knew, now, and she knew, what it would take to make him happy.

She sighed to herself and picked up her phone. Frank answered on the third ring.

"Ned doing okay?"

"Oh. Yeah," she said, feeling just a little guilty. She hadn't called Frank back the night before to let him know, but then he hadn't called her either. "Yeah, everything seems to be fine. What about on your end?"

"I called the cops and cleared out. I think I'm going to head back stateside. If we're on the radar, we're on the radar." He sounded tired.

"Well, the next lead you get, call me. We need to get this resolved." She stifled a yawn.

"I know," he said, almost snapped. Then he apologized. "I'll be keeping an eye out. And... thanks, Nan."

"You're welcome. I'll be in touch."

She hung up the phone and closed her eyes. Would it be easier with Frank, the way Ned had said?

She tried to imagine it, and couldn't. It had taken Ned so very long to find his way into her, to gain her trust, and she had long thought that while it was easy for her to become infatuated, he was the only man she had ever truly loved, the only man she ever would. He had been with her through so damn much and what she shared with Frank, while it was special, something all its own—it wasn't love, and whatever she was ever able to give of herself, some part of her would always still be Ned's.

She had long envied Ned, how he wore his heart on his sleeve. And what he wanted, what he needed, was apparently the kind of woman who was exhilarated at the prospect of entertaining his work buddies, who could fill out a cocktail dress and hold relatively intelligent conversation, charm people and be tactful, political...

She had never thought of all the things Ned had needed to be, for her, because he simply _was_ , without complaint or protest. He was her bodyguard, her stakeout partner, her lover, her best friend, her support, and she had just accepted all that.

But she had never seen them like this. When they had married, she had truly thought they would remain there, together, taking business trips and vacations but always returning to what they knew.

_Los Angeles._ Just the thought of it made the hair on the back of her neck stand up. She didn't want that kind of life for him, but it was the life he had chosen, the life he wanted her to share with him.

And as long as they were in L.A., the question of kids...

She shook her head and tossed back the covers, heading for the shower. At least Onyx seemed to have granted them a reprieve for a while; at least she and Ned had slept in the same bed instead of storming away from each other. Nothing was really settled, but at least he _knew_.

Ned had left word with the security that she was okay to come back, so when she walked through, noticing with some amusement that the Hall of Mirrors was apparently "undergoing renovations," she was allowed back with no issue.

For a moment she observed Ned, before he glanced over at her. He looked casual but professional in his slacks and shirt, and when a makeup artist darted onto the set to retouch, one of the bespectacled technicians approached him and began making expansive, exuberant hand gestures. Ned nodded at a few things, shrugged at another, and when the photographer motioned that he wanted to begin again, everything fell back into order.

Then Ned noticed her, and when he glanced over she shrugged, gesturing at the small canvas bag she carried with a smile. He smiled in return, and she felt her heart lift.

"So what's in the bag?"

"Wouldn't you like to know," she teased him. "How much longer here?"

Ned glanced at his watch. "Maybe fifteen minutes. I think tour buses come here every ten minutes, and that was one of the sticking points in the agreement. Let me just check..."

Twenty minutes later they were sitting on a bench beside the Swiss Lake, and Nancy unpacked her bag, handing Ned a drink and a sandwich. Around them children shouted and ran, begging for ice cream and sweets. Ned finished his lunch quickly, as he almost always did, but Nancy was taken with the beauty of the chateau. She remembered learning about the estate in her European history class, but none of her cases had brought her there before.

"So why the Hall of Mirrors?" Nancy asked, shading her eyes as she glanced over at Ned. He had cast a couple of appreciative glances at her outfit; she wore a knee-length pencil skirt and a button-down, and could easily pass for an assistant on the set.

"The client wanted it," Ned shrugged. " _Insisted_ , even. The computer guys are in there to get measurements so they can render the whole room for animation, and later, if we need to do this kind of thing, it'll be easier."

"The model looked really good."

Ned chuckled. "Yeah, she really sells the hell out of those running shoes, huh?" He took a long swig of his soda. "It's hard for me to imagine how it's going to look, with all those trick shots."

"And you have to go back in?"

He nodded. "With any luck it'll be quick, but we have to wait until the gates close, when the sun goes down."

"And you have to stick around here?"

"What exactly are you getting at, Mrs. Nickerson?" Ned said, tilting his head.

"Well, if you need to stay here, I thought we could take a tour. You know, hold hands and coo over Marie Antoinette's furniture, and everything." She smiled. "Mr. Nickerson."

"Sounds great." He smiled back.

It was the kind of thing she knew he'd missed even when they were dating, and while she did keep her phone in her pocket just in case Frank ran into any trouble or Onyx made another move, she wasn't called away. They listened to the tour guide's gushing description of the bedroom suites, the architecture, the careful planning of the gardens, their hands joined. When they paused for another speech she usually felt his arm slide around her waist, and she leaned against him, feeling as though every second they could spend in contact would help steel her for what was to come.

Christmas together. At least they would have Christmas together.

When they were trailing along behind the group, on the way out to the gardens, she tugged gently at his hand, and he hung back a little. Ned glanced back.

"Thanksgiving," she said.

He nodded. "With our parents," he replied.

She relaxed a little.

Ned's smile held no humor. "We already said we were going to do that," he said.

"I know," she said softly. "I know. I just... I'm really looking forward to it."

He squeezed her hand. "Me too," he said. "Are you kidding? The pie _alone..._ "

She playfully smacked his stomach. "I should've known. If nothing else could bring you to Chicago, that would."

His reply was just a small smile, but he looped his arm around her waist again. "I love you, Nan," he murmured. "You know that, right? No matter what, I will always love you."

She closed her eyes. "I love you too," she whispered. "I hate fighting with you."

"I hate it too."

One of the other tourists asked if they were newlyweds, when they were strolling through the gift shop. "You just have that look to you," the elderly woman said.

Nancy and Ned glanced at each other. "Sometimes I feel like we still are," she said, with a little smile.

The graphics guys finished up fairly quickly, once the sun had gone down and the grounds were deserted. While Ned made sure all the equipment was accounted for and the room was returned to its original state, Nancy called Frank and made sure nothing else had happened. When it took him a few rings to pick up, she didn't realize how tense she was until he answered. Joe still had his tail, but Nancy, given how many tourists had been milling around, hadn't particularly noticed anyone.

By the time they reached the city again, Nancy was famished. Walking around so much at the palace hadn't been so bad, but the tension lingering between them was still tight in her belly. They took the time to change, but it was a pleasant night, so she put on her coat and they strolled toward the restaurants recommended by the clerk.

"What are you in the mood for tonight?"

Nancy shrugged. "Hannah's chocolate cake," she admitted, and Ned glanced over at her, one eyebrow raised. "Yeah, I know. Soon. But, while we're here, something glorious and decadent that I can't get back home. And then maybe something glorious and dirty that I _love_ to get back home."

"You...?" Ned said, trailing off.

"You're cleared for landing, Mr. Nickerson."

Ned chuckled. "Guess I won't have to take you up on last night's offer after all. Unless that's still on the table."

"Eh." She swung his hand forward, then back, with hers. "Let's just see what happens when we get back to the room."

"Back to the room..." Ned mused. "I don't know, I think I could wait an hour for dinner..."

Nancy gave a genuine laugh. "I don't think I've ever heard such a bald-faced lie cross your lips."

"Fine, fine. Dinner. _Quick_ dinner."

While the restaurant the clerk had recommended was architecturally stunning, with prices to match, Nancy resisted the pull of the tasting menu and ordered a la carte. She opted for the foie gras, while Ned chose the lamb, and the accompanying wine felt glorious going down.

She had finished her first glass when the thought she had been holding back since they had walked in surfaced, and she forced it back down. She was going to enjoy tonight, and the barely-veiled glances her husband was sending her way meant he would be more than happy to help her with that.

A small part of her was hoping that he would in fact spend Thanksgiving and Christmas in Chicago, and remember what had drawn him to the city in the first place. He would see all he had left behind and...

But he was happy. She didn't doubt that he was happy in his new job. Every now and then he was exasperated, frustrated, but more often he seemed exhilarated, truly happy to be doing what he was doing.

Unwillingly she remembered the weekends he had been called back in to fix some project Andrew had screwed up, to revise a presentation for a client. She kept hoping that his moving back would just solve everything, but it guaranteed nothing. Except maybe Ned's resentment.

"Penny for your thoughts," Ned said, putting his glass back on the table.

Nancy propped her chin on her hand and shook her head. "They aren't worth it," she murmured. "Have I said thanks for taking this assignment and coming over? I know you didn't have to."

"Well, I've always liked Paris, and there's a girl here... and I can't pass up an opportunity to spend time with her."

"Even when she isn't putting out. Aren't you a gentleman." She smiled.

"Yeah, well... she has other qualities that are almost as endearing."

"Oh?"

"She always helps a friend in trouble," he said. "Plus, even fully dressed, she looks like a million bucks. Smart and sexy as hell. Did I mention sexy?"

"Maybe." Nancy chuckled. "And I've gotta say, I've always liked Paris too... and it's even better when you're here."

"Tell me more," Ned said teasingly.

"Because the guy I'm lucky enough to be in love with—the guy who puts up with me and all the baggage that comes with me—is amazing, unbelievably devastatingly handsome, smart and obscenely talented in bed..."

Ned smiled. "So that's why you keep me around."

Nancy shook her head. "Don't get me wrong. A part of me wants to grab you and get you in a cab and get you back to our hotel right now, but... that's not all you are to me." She glanced away. "You're everything, okay? There's only so much I can afford to lose, and you are not an option." She could feel her lips trembling. "I guess... the longer we're apart, the more it feels like you're slipping away from me, and..."

Ned reached for her hand and squeezed it, his brown eyes intent on hers.

"I can't lose you," she whispered.

"You won't," he told her. "Not even if you let go. I know... I don't want it to be that way between us."

"I've just always felt like you're the same guy you were when we met, but you aren't. That guy who could walk out there with a new idea every day, go out and conquer the world, and still come back to me."

She saw his jaw tighten, and she shook her head. "I think you're great," she told him. "I'm so proud of you. I don't think I say that enough, do I."

Ned shook his head, swallowing. "And as much as it terrifies me, you are amazing at what you do, babe."

Nancy gently dashed a tear from her lower lashes. "This is a nice place," she chuckled, looking at the mascara stain on her finger. "They probably frown on crying."

"Fuck 'em," Ned said, his voice pitched low. "I'm just glad we're... okay."

After the chocolate raspberry truffles they sampled for dessert, they walked out onto the street. Parties were still lingering over their food, voices and laughter bright with wine, and Nancy huddled into her coat. The wind had been this cold earlier, but it seemed to have a particularly strong edge to it now.

She told herself she wasn't going to do it, wasn't going to look over, but as they were waiting on the cab to take them back to the hotel, she did.

If she had said yes, that night those years ago...

Ned followed her gaze. "Is that where it was?"

She didn't even bother asking him what he was talking about. She gave a slow nod.

If she had said yes, no matter what Ned said, she couldn't imagine that Frank would possibly love her as much as Ned did.

Ned took her hand, abandoning the cab search, and she followed as he led her across the street to the cafe, feeling almost numb, part of her praying he wouldn't be angry. They had been doing so well over dinner.

Her life would be so different, now, if she had said yes.

Ned curved an arm around her, and when she glanced up into his face, his lips brushed hers.

Hers parted.

It was like pouring gasoline onto a fire.

He picked her up and she molded her body to his, wrapping her arms around his shoulders, gasping a little when his hips matched to hers. She felt him move as their kiss became desperate, overwhelming all her senses, and then she felt something unyielding against her back.

It was the alley-side wall of the cafe, she saw, when she opened her eyes. While they were hidden from casual view by deep shadow, they were still in plain sight to anyone who walked by.

And Ned's fingers were grasping the hem of her dress, pulling it up.

"Ned," she panted, shaking her head, pushing at his hand, her lips swelled from his kiss. "It's a five-minute cab ride..."

Ned shook his head. "Now," he growled, and when he kissed her again, she couldn't find it in her to push him away. God, how she had wanted this. And now that he knew what had happened between her and Frank here, she couldn't be surprised that this had been his reaction.

She was his. From the moment they had met, she had been his.

He boosted her up, his tongue sliding against hers, as her skirt bunched up at her hips. He reached down, tracing the slit of her sex through her panties, and made a soft groan when he found her already wet. "You're sure?" he murmured, when he pulled back.

She nodded, wriggling in his arms so he would let her down, and as soon as he did, she yanked her panties down, pulling them off. Her legs were freezing, but she couldn't give a fuck. They had been apart so long that she would be surprised if he held out for more than a few minutes, once he was inside her.

In the meantime, Ned pushed his zipper down, adjusting so that his pants wouldn't fall down in their exertion, and when she slipped her arms around him again he boosted her up, pressing her against the wall. He supported her ass as he kissed her collarbone, the hollow at the base of her throat, her breastbone. Impatiently she yanked the dress and her bra down enough to free her breast and Ned latched onto her nipple, teasing and suckling it until she was writhing against him.

He switched to the other and she moaned, running her fingers through his hair. "Yes," she sighed, gasping when he gently bit the sensitive flesh.

By then she was incredibly slick, and when he pulled back a little, she reached down and grasped his flushed, firm cock, angling him so he brushed against the slit of her sex. "Mmmm," she said, barely stroking him against her.

"Would you—" Ned was panting. "Would you marry me still? Even knowing everything?"

"God, yes," she told him, her blue eyes low-lidded with desire. "You, only you, Ned, oh my _God_ —"

She squealed and Ned kissed her to keep her quiet as he tilted her hips and she held him in place. As soon as the head of his cock was just barely inside her she reached up and ran her thumb against her clit, gasping at the pleasure of it. Ned matched the flicks of his tongue against hers to the rhythm of their hips, and he kissed her until she was reeling, desperately fondling her clit, jerking against him as he thrust into her, hard, harder.

She shuddered as her sex tightened against him, breaking off the kiss so she could more easily pant for breath. "Yes, _yes,_ " she urged him on, one hand tightening against his shoulders.

" _Monsieur."_

For a few seconds Ned didn't stop, and by the time they turned to face the intrusion, Nancy thought her face was probably hot enough to boil water.

"He says to come with him," Nancy said, translating the stream of rapid French the man released.

"I figured," Ned said, slowly letting her back down to stand by herself. He angled his hips away so he could pull his zipper back up. " _Fuck_ ," he swore quietly.

"That's what got us in this mess in the first place," she said, chuckling at his dirty look.

\--

It took an hour and two phone calls for Nancy and Ned to beg off with a fine. At first the policeman had mistaken her for a prostitute, so that... well, once Nancy mumbled that translation, Ned had fought down the urge to break into hysterical laughter.

Back in his hotel room, once the door was closed, they both started laughing. "Will this give you more cred at the office, or less?" she mused aloud, still giggling.

"Getting caught by a cop, fucking my wife on a streetcorner? Yeah. Yeah, I think that wins for embarrassing work-trip story." Ned started unbuttoning his shirt. "And what do you think you're doing?"

"I had a little time to kill when I got up this morning," she said, plucking a pink bag out of her suitcase. "Just give me a minute."

Ned was entirely naked when she walked out of the bathroom wearing a babydoll made of sheer white tulle, scalloped at the cups and the hem, naked underneath. She crooked a finger to beckon him and he pushed himself off the bed and came to her, immediately pulling the gown off.

"It looked gorgeous," he said when her brow knit and her mouth opened in protest. "Now _that_ sight... breathtaking."

Nancy giggled when Ned swept her into his arms. "Now where were we?"

"I think you were touching yourself while I was nailing you against a wall."

"Shall we start from there?" She wrapped her legs around him, one at a time, letting out a soft groan as he pushed her back to the wall.

God, she was wet, and he had spent most of their time at the police station wishing he was dead or that Nancy would give him a hand, and he nipped at the tender skin of her breasts, feeling her hand drift down so she could rub her clit again. He moaned when she trembled, her mouth falling open, and lined her hips up so he could let her fall down onto his cock.

She cried out as he let her drop and she took his entire length in a fraction of a second. "Oh _shit_ ," she swore, her nails digging into his back as she panted. "Oh my _God_ , baby."

When she seemed to have adjusted to his girth, he began to rock inside her, watching her arch her shoulders, whimpering as he fucked her. She kept rubbing her clit and he squeezed her ass, shifting the angle of her hips a little, and she tossed her head back, swallowing hard.

"You feel so fucking good," he growled. " _God_ , baby. So tight."

"Mmm," she urged him, groaning in pleasure. "Oh my _God_ , don't stop, don't stop—yes, yes, right there ohmyGod _yes_ —"

He drove himself into her hard, hard, until she was begging, clawing at him, frantically rubbing her clit. He felt her clench against him and answered with a particularly hard thrust, making her shudder. "Yes, yes, _yes,_ oh my _God_ ," she sobbed.

When she came he was fucking rutting into her, in quick short thrusts, and if the wall hadn't been behind her, she would have fallen down. He groaned as he released inside her, slowing a little.

Nancy looked up at him, her lids low, and brought her hand up to her mouth, licking her fingertip. Ned sucked the taste of her arousal off her other fingertips, then kissed her hard, hungrily. When he thought she might be steady on her feet again, he let her down, and brought back a cloth for her.

She shook her head, once they had cleaned themselves up. "I take it back," she murmured. "In bed isn't the only place you're obscenely talented."

The corner of Ned's mouth turned up. "I do the best I can," he said with false modesty. "And, in the morning, the director's going to call and tell me if we need to stay for another shoot on Monday..."

Nancy raised an eyebrow. "And here I am with an empty weekend," she said, moving slowly toward the bed, her hips swaying. "And a _lot_ of lost time to catch up on."

"Plus..." A wicked gleam came into Ned's eye. "I say if we're going to get arrested for public indecency, we do it right."

"Oh, so the way we just did it was wrong?" she laughed.

"Yeah. Because what better monument could there be for fucking than the Arc de Triomphe?"

"La Tour Eiffel," she returned, her eyes sparkling too.

"Top or bottom?"

"Both?" She was definitely teasing now, but Ned didn't care. "How about we do some practice first, though. You know, make sure we're limber enough for such creativity."

Ned chuckled. "Excellent point, Mrs. Nickerson."

"I aim to please." The laughter was bubbling just under her voice. "Mr. Nickerson."


	8. Chapter 8

"Nan..."

"I _know_ ," she retorted, through the bathroom door. "Go wait in the car."

Ned shook his head, moving to sit down at the foot of the bed—and had to shove three dresses out of the way first.

He would never tell her—mostly because he didn't want to explain the circumstance whatsoever—but a small part of him vehemently wished that she had been called out on a case and unable to come to the damn party. It was the last day before the holiday vacation began, to allow everyone time to get over the massive hangovers that were sure to ensue, and spouses were allowed, and representatives of the larger accounts would be there—

Carly would be there. He didn't know that for sure, but on another level, he was positive she would be there.

They could make an appearance. That seemed safe. Pop in, say hello to the partners, grab a few cheese cubes and champagne flutes—although the going thing this year seemed to be a sushi chef—

The bathroom door opened.

Ned knew that Nancy had been anxious about the party. It was the first official function she was attending with him, for his current workplace, and he had just casually mentioned that at the last big launch most of the women had been wearing what he could only describe as indecently tight dresses.

The dress Nancy wore was a deep blue, the same shade as his favorite dress of hers, and it looked amazing with her eyes. The rest of it, he had no vocabulary to describe; he had never really handled any clothing designer accounts. He only had the notion of movement, sweeping, gathers pulling his gaze upward, tight about her waist. The skirt brushed the floor and the top was strapless, and she fidgeted with it as he finally looked up at her face.

She looked incredibly agitated. "It's awful, isn't it," she said, frowning. "I must have gained some weight..."

She turned to show him her silhouette, smoothing her hand down over her belly, impatiently clasping her hips as she scowled at her reflection.

"Babe, you look amazing," he told her, crossing to her. "I mean it. You are going to be the most gorgeous woman there, I swear."

Nancy shook her head, coloring a little. "You're just saying that because you want me to put out."

"Well, I do want you to put out, but no one is going to be able to take their eyes off you. And you'd better swear that if Kesey says the phrase 'casting call' to you, you will slap him in the face, okay?"

The corner of Nancy's mouth turned up a little. He hadn't noticed the faint sparkle on her cheeks before. "If you say so," she said. "Besides, aren't _you_ the one who should be putting out, since I'm doing this as a favor to _you_?"

"We'll take turns putting out," he told her, sliding his arm around her shoulders, brushing his lips lightly against her temple.

\--

Nancy had played many, many roles over her career. Snobby brash entitled reporter, jealous ex-girlfriend, security consultant, reluctant seductress, actress, rising tennis star.

As soon as they walked into the party, Nancy found herself slipping into the role of doting wife.

She hated that feeling. _Wife_ wasn't a role she was playing, it was who she was, but since their fight, since the aftermath, she had felt it at the back of her mind, constantly, under every conversation, every morning when she woke, at night when she tried to sleep. As long as he was here and she was back in Chicago, he _wasn't_ her husband. As long as he was here and she was back in Chicago, their desire for each other wasn't enough.

And, judging by the obvious appreciative glances sent Ned's way, many of the people he worked with didn't exactly consider him off the market, either. At least four times, she heard people ask who his date was, and when he introduced her as his wife, their eyebrows went up a fraction of an inch before they shook her hand.

She was waiting, waiting for it, and when it happened, she knew.

She fought the urge to cling possessively to Ned's arm. They had circulated through the gathering, and she had been dazzlingly charming when introduced again to the partners in the branch, and he had been complimentary and witty when they had spoken to the client representatives. When she was thirsty she made her way to the refreshment table herself, returning the few appreciative glances cast her way with polite smiles, gaze averted.

Nancy had just skillfully picked up a salmon roll with her chopsticks when she heard a soft whistle behind her. "I'd ask if you have a card, in that dress, but I'll settle for a number."

Nancy squeezed her eyes tight shut before she composed her expression again, turning to see the source of the voice. "Sorry," she said sweetly. "I'm otherwise engaged."

"Tonight, sure," the man said, bobbing his head. "But Nickerson, the boy scout? Eh. Once his girl shows up, he won't have eyes for anyone else, I promise."

Nancy's fingers tightened around the chopsticks. She could jab them through this guy's trachea, but she doubted that would work out so well. "His girl?" she asked, her voice soft, quietly dangerous.

The man nodded to his right. "See?"

It was strange, how she knew it, how she felt she had always known. And once Nancy glanced over, she couldn't look away, even though she knew from hard-won experience that a lingering gaze could tip off a mark quickly.

The woman approaching Ned wore her long dark hair in the kind of loose effortless curls that Nancy had never been able to achieve, her dress a rich scarlet sheath that hugged her curves. Her gaze was locked to Ned, her smile knowing and inviting, a half-empty champagne flute in her hand.

Nancy hated her on sight. It happened rarely, and the feeling was rarely wrong, but whoever this woman was...

Nancy swallowed as she shifted her gaze over to Ned, ignoring whatever the jackass who had approached her was nattering on about.

Ned was glancing over at Nancy.

And whatever else was there, she knew she saw guilt on his face.

\--

  


It was the kind of thing Ned had nightmares about. Along with the usual nightmares about losing his wife somehow, this, _this_...

Carly, standing in front of him, that expression in her eyes. The one that made him feel like there was no solid ground underneath him.

Ned glanced over at his wife and saw Nancy's expression harden.

"Mr. Nickerson."

"Ms. Ryan." Ned nodded to her. The clock was ticking and he just hoped that whatever happened, no one ended up in the swimming pool.

"I will be _highly_ displeased if I don't see you at our meeting in January," Carly said, gazing at the rim of her champagne glass before she shifted her gaze up to meet his eyes.

Ned gave her a polite smile. "I'd be happy to be there, if I can, but I've been incredibly busy. We have a lot of exciting new campaigns launching in January."

Carly moved closer to him, tipping her chin up. "I'm sure an important man like you can juggle his meetings around, for just a little presentation."

Ned's smile, this time, didn't quite reach his eyes. "Don't tell me you haven't sampled the sushi bar yet," he said, gently touching her elbow and turning her in that direction.

The direction his wife was coming from, an expression in her eyes that Ned hadn't seen in quite a while. She wasn't moving with any particular speed, and she was carrying two champagne flutes, her blue eyes cool.

She stopped in their path and Ned didn't seriously consider trying to avoid her. He didn't want to be found in pieces on the Five in the morning.

"That is a gorgeous dress," Nancy said, holding out a flute for her husband. Then she offered her hand to Carly. "I'm sorry, I don't believe we've met. Nancy."

Carly shook Nancy's hand, clearly sizing her up. "Carly Ryan. I don't believe we've met, either."

"Model?" Nancy said with a faint smile, tilting her head.

"No, oh God no. I could never," Carly replied with false modesty, smoothing a hand over her narrow waist. "Client. Are you a client too?"

"I'm considering it," Nancy replied, glancing from Carly to Ned. "Mr. Nickerson."

Ned inclined his head. "Ms. Drew."

Carly glanced between them. "Taking on new business?" she commented, but Ned could hear the faint edge in her voice.

"Old business," Nancy said, quietly. "It's been a while, though. Maybe I've been away too long."

Nancy and Ned gazed at each other for a long moment. "Well," Carly said, breaking the mood when she looped her arm through Ned's, "Ned and I were just discussing the upcoming campaign..."

Ned stayed rooted to the spot, though, and didn't move when Carly did; his gaze was still locked to Nancy's. "Nancy's my wife," Ned said quietly, and Carly turned quickly, her eyes widening a little. "Nancy Drew Nickerson."

Carly looked over at Nancy, who was looking back at her. "Pleased to meet you," Nancy said, and took a step toward her. Ned's stomach flipped, hard.

"His _wife._ "

Nancy nodded. "His wife. I've seen him tempted by women much, much more gorgeous than you are, sweetheart, and I don't blame you. I mean, look at him. It's all I can do to keep from pulling him inside and fucking his brains out."

Ned couldn't help it. He glanced around, trying to see if anyone had overheard.

"I didn't—"

Nancy met Carly's narrowed gaze and pursed lips with a raised eyebrow. "Yet," she murmured. "Right? Just not _yet_?"

Carly took a step forward and Ned fought the urge to pull her back, well out of Nancy's armspan. Carly had no idea who she was dealing with, and depending on what kind of heels Nancy was wearing, she could take the brunette down in either ten or fifteen seconds, easily.

They'd end up in the backlit swimming pool, too. Ned just knew it. And no one would _ever_ forget this holiday party.

"The woman in the picture on his desk," Carly said, tilting her head. "Who's been so busy until now that she couldn't spare the time to come to any of the other parties? What was it, you finally realized you were taking him for granted? It's only a matter of time before he trades up, you know."

The thing was, Nancy had learned a long time ago not to telegraph her punches. Ned saw her tense up and _knew_ , but by then there was no way he could get between them in time.

A minute later, they were in the pool.

\--

Nancy and Ned rode in the car for four solid minutes before either of them said anything.

"You hungry?" Ned asked.

"Famished," Nancy admitted, and glanced over at Ned.

She hadn't meant for the fight to get that—well, honestly, she hadn't meant to fight with the woman. But after that little barb about "trading up," she had lost it.

"Drive-thru?"

"Pizza," Nancy suggested. "I have to get out of this dress."

Ned nodded.

"Is..." Nancy trailed off. There was no easy way to say it. "She's one of your clients."

Ned shook his head, a little sharply. "No. She _was_. When I started working on the Instamo campaign, another rep took over. She was..." Ned chuckled darkly. "She didn't like that."

"She wouldn't," Nancy murmured.

Ned sighed. "She was flirty. But she was flirty with everyone. And, I don't know, it felt good..."

It took Nancy a long moment to swallow down the anger she was feeling, but she remembered conversations she had had with Ned along the same lines. Those harmless flirtations with guys she met on her cases, who were in awe of her, who were handsome and _new._ She had never expected or wanted it to lead anywhere else, not really, but it was a massive ego boost to be around that kind of adoration and desire.

Apparently Ned wasn't immune to it either.

Ned glanced over at her. "Probably the same way it feels good to be around Hardy."

Nancy looked out the window.

His voice was soft when he spoke next. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah." Nancy looked with real dismay down at her dress. It wasn't just waterlogged; in the course of their fight Nancy was sure she had felt some stitches pull loose. Someone had sent for an ambulance, but both Nancy and the other woman had waved that off, opting for band-aids and rubbing alcohol for the scrapes. "Look, I'm... I didn't mean for that to happen. To lay into her like that."

"You were defending my honor," Ned said, with a small smile in his voice.

Nancy chuckled darkly. "Or mine. Although it's just as likely to make women flock after you, as it is to dissuade them. 'Watch out for that one, his wife's a crazy bitch.'" She glanced out the window again.

"Well, I'm sure no one's going to forget that party for a while."

"Fine, just rub it in." Nancy made a face at him. "Tell them the champagne reacted badly with some prescription medications or something, isn't that what everyone says now?"

"That or exhaustion," Ned agreed. "But now I have the perfect right to refuse to work with her again."

Nancy's smile was faint. "Until the next one."

Her stomach kept knotting, the closer they came to his apartment. He was just keying inside when Nancy's cell phone rang.

"Hello?"

"This is Premiere Security. Who is speaking?"

"Nancy Drew Nickerson," Nancy replied, and Ned glanced over at her. She followed him inside.

"And your security phrase?"

Nancy recited it, tilting her head, once the door was closed behind them. Ned vanished into the kitchen, but came back immediately with the delivery menu for the local pizza place. Nancy stood in the middle of the floor, afraid to press her chlorine-soaked dress against any of Ned's furniture.

"Are you all right, Mrs. Nickerson?"

"Yes, yes," Nancy said. "I'm fine, but I'm not home. What's wrong?"

"We received a report of a perimeter breach at your home. Would you like us to send the police to your residence?"

"Yes, please," Nancy said, her eyes widening. "Thank you for letting me know."

Ned was staring at her curiously when she finally hung up with the agent. "What was that about?"

"The alarm went off at home." She glanced over at the deadbolt on his apartment door. "It could be Onyx. _Shit._ "

"Call Hardy. Or better yet, I'll call Hardy, you call someone on the squad you trust to go by there and see what's going on."

" _After_ you order pizza," Nancy told him, activating her cell phone again. "I can't think straight when I'm this hungry."

Frank apparently didn't answer his phone. Nancy arranged for someone from their local force to call her back after they had checked out the house, and unzipped her dress as soon as she hung up. "I have _got_ to take a shower," Nancy sighed, stepping out of the gown and folding it over her arm. Her underwear was just translucent waterlogged scraps of lace, and Nancy couldn't help but notice the expression on Ned's face when he saw that.

"Be right there," Ned said, his voice a low promise.

Nancy had rinsed the chlorine out of her hair when her husband slipped into the shower with her. "Well, I'd ask if you're going to leave the pizza guy in the lurch, but given your track record..."

Ned slipped his arms around her. "Just for that, I'm going to make it last _twice_ as long."

"So, two minutes?"

Nancy's eyes were sparkling, and Ned raised his eyebrow as he rinsed his hair. He had kicked his shoes off and gone into the pool to pull Nancy off Carly; both of them had been uncomfortably squelching in their formal wear the entire way back.

"You don't want me to call your bluff," Ned said. "You know I can."

"Don't you think I'm banking on that?"

She was just rinsing the shampoo out of her hair, wincing at the tangles, when he slipped his arms around her from behind, pulling her to him, her back to his front. He gently squeezed her breast, and her eyes fluttered shut.

"You were the most beautiful woman there."

"I didn't see anyone other than you," she admitted. "God, I've missed you."

Ned chuckled. "Me too, sweetheart."

His fingertips gently stroked and caressed their way down, and Nancy had to pause to take a long breath before she picked up the soap and began to wash herself off with it. She hated the tacky feeling on her skin from the remains of the chlorine. When Ned's hand cupped between her thighs, she turned and lathered her hands, then began to work her way down his arms and chest.

"Mmm," he murmured, turning to pin her against the wall of the shower. "Definitely the best time I've had in here since your last visit."

As soon as she had rinsed the conditioner out of her hair, Ned slammed the water off, and she admired the way it beaded and trailed over the tanned, muscular lines of his amazing body. She pulled one of the oversized bath sheets she had bought for him around her, and Ned picked her up, then tossed her onto his bed. She laughed, watching him briskly towel off as he followed, climbing on top of her. He peeled the towel open and she wrapped her legs around his waist, tightening her grip to pull him close to her.

True to his word, Ned seemed to have absolutely no intention of giving her any kind of release anytime soon. When he caught her hands sliding in, to cup her breasts or trail between her thighs, he pinned them down easily. He was just sucking a hickey against her inner thigh when they heard a knock at the door.

"Hold that thought," Ned growled, pushing back to look her in the eye, before he found a pair of clean shorts.

Nancy sat up, gazing after him, still naked, panting a little, the join of her thighs tingling in anticipation of his return. Then she heard her phone beep.

Wilson sounded tired when Nancy returned his call, the damp bath sheet pulled around her, even though he couldn't see her over the line. "I have good news and bad news."

"It must be mostly bad. You sound exhausted."

"Well, we've been swamped with calls after the ice storm," Wilson explained. "That's where the bad news comes in. The good news, I didn't see any obvious sign of a break-in."

"Well, that is good," Nancy agreed, even though she had been pretty sure that if Onyx wanted to break into their house, he wouldn't set off an alarm. He was better than that. "But you said ice storm?"

"Yep. Your back neighbor had a large old tree in her yard—"

" _Had_ ," Nancy repeated.

"A huge branch came down and nicked the back of your house. Went through a window, and right on top of the air conditioning unit."

"Oh, _God_ ," Nancy groaned. "Well, that's great."

"Yeah. It's done a lot of damage so far, and we're expecting another wave tomorrow. You say you're out of town?"

"Yeah, but we're heading back tomorrow. If O'Hare isn't shut down." Nancy groaned again as Ned walked in, the pizza box in his hands. "Look, thanks for checking on it, okay?"

"Sure thing."

"Seriously?" Ned asked, after Nancy explained what Wilson had told her. "The fucking AC unit?"

Nancy sighed and ran her hand through the damp waves of her hair. "Apparently. We'll see when we get home."

Simultaneously they turned to gaze out the window. The weather in Los Angeles had been positively balmy. She would've had to wear a rated-for-forty-below parka with her now-ruined gown if they had attended a party in Chicago.

Nancy shook her head. "Gotta love Chicago," she said ruefully.

\--

"Well, you two _have_ to stay with us," Edith said, and James Nickerson nodded his agreement.

The air conditioning guy was going to come over first thing in the morning, along with a glazier and a buddy of Ned's who had experience doing renovation work. Ned's parents had been by to make sure the house was relatively secure, covering the damage with tarps, before they had picked Nancy and Ned up from the airport.

Ned was trying to figure out a way to politely say that he and Nancy could easily find a hotel room. Maybe. Considering how many people returned home for the holidays... well, they could stay with Mike, or...

"It's so nice of you to offer," Nancy said, and when Ned elbowed her lightly in the ribs, she shot him a dirty look, swiftly so Ned's father wouldn't see it in the rearview mirror. "If you could just drop us off at home, we can just get a little bag together, get a car..."

"Of course," Edith said with a smile. "Of course. Don't take too long, though. I'm going to put a lasagna in the oven as soon as we get home."

Ned groaned. "Okay," he sighed.

"Oh, I see how it is," Nancy said, raising an eyebrow. "Now that _lasagna's_ in the picture, you're all for it, huh."

"Actually," Ned murmured directly into her ear, "it's lasagna versus the zero percent chance that I'll be getting any tonight if we're at my parents' house."

"That sounded distinctly like a challenge," Nancy murmured back.

" _No_ ," Ned hissed. "It most definitely _isn't_."

He was only able to relax once his father's car turned off their street. "Fuck," he murmured, as they walked around the house, to see the damage to the back themselves.

Nancy chuckled, snuggling deeper into her coat. "I never realize how much I curse until I'm around our parents."

"Me too." Ned groaned when he saw the back of the house. "Well, at least you weren't home during the storm..."

Nancy shook her head. The tree limb's progress had cracked the lower pane in their bedroom window, too. "Oh, _shit._ "

"Oh shit what?"

Ned followed Nancy into the house, hot on her heels as she pounded up the stairs. She opened their bedroom door.

"Oh... yeah."

The sex swing was still hanging from the ceiling. Getting it down required a ladder, and Nancy apparently hadn't bothered. On their bedside table he saw a few sex toys he definitely didn't remember leaving out.

Nancy glanced over at her husband. "Think they came up here?"

"God, I hope not," Ned said, his voice quiet with embarrassment at the thought. "I don't think they would've been able to make eye contact... _ugh_..."

Nancy ran her hand through her hair. "Well, they had to air dry, and I didn't really plan for a fucking tree limb to crash through the window... But we should put all this stuff away..."

Ned went for the ladder so he could take down the swing, while Nancy found a box. She had their drawer open and was loading the contents into the box when Ned returned.

"What...?"

"You really want that guy you know coming up here to check out the damage and finding this stuff?"

"You really think he's going to be going through our dresser drawers?"

Nancy shrugged. "I would," she admitted. "Hmm. Maybe I should clean out my underwear drawer, too."

The lasagna was excellent, but of course it was. It had been a while since Ned had sat down for a meal with his parents—since his mother's birthday, maybe?—without the meal being a huge ordeal involving Nancy and Hannah and emergency trips to the grocery store for marshmallows or toothpicks and a carving knife. Instead they had salad and garlic bread and red wine, and an hour later while they were gathered around the television Ned's mother brought out a gloriously moist pound cake.

Ned caught his wife glancing at him a few times, a soft smile on her face. He knew she loved the sweater he was wearing, but it was more than that. She seemed genuinely at peace, and he was uncomfortably aware that she was most likely trying to see if he felt the same way.

And he did. That wasn't the point. He loved his parents, he loved visiting her father and Hannah, seeing their friends. But they weren't his life, the nine-to-five that consumed most of his waking moments, and they weren't _her_. He hadn't been lying when he had said that if he had her with him, he would have everything he wanted. River Heights and Mapleton would still be there at the holidays.

When Edith suggested a few hands of cards, Nancy tried to demur, but Ned ignored her protests and found the cards, bringing them to the table in the breakfast nook. He was tired from all the traveling they had done and all their exertions the night before, and a part of him was hoping that they would play cards until he was five minutes from passing out.

"Oh, wasn't your work party yesterday?" Edith asked, selecting a card from the discard pile.

Nancy and Ned glanced at each other. "It was," Nancy said neutrally.

"That's lovely. And how are you liking Los Angeles at Christmas?" James asked. "Tired of the rat race out there yet?"

"Not yet," Ned replied cheerfully. "I'm really loving my job out there. We've been really busy in the past month or so working on a new campaign..."

Ned caught himself before he made any reference to Nancy and Carly's fight at the party, and it was eleven o'clock before his parents finally begged off and wished them a good night.

Stepping into his old room was like walking back in time. Ned's mother kept everything dusted, but otherwise it felt like nothing had been touched since the day he had moved out.

Ned claimed the attached bathroom first, then headed for the bed, bundling under the covers clad in an undershirt and flannel pants. He smothered a huge yawn.

"Don't tell me you're tired."

"What was your first clue?" Ned asked, pulling the covers up to just beneath his chin. " _God_ , the bed is cold. Get in here so it'll warm up."

"Give me just a minute," she said. "Just have to brush my teeth."

\--

Nancy shivered as she adjusted the top, glancing at the packaging to make sure she had it on right. Yeah...

Despite herself, Nancy blushed just slightly as she looked at her reflection. She was about to walk into Ned's childhood bedroom wearing the kind of outfit that she would never in a million years have even _dreamed_ of considering, much less buying and putting on for her husband, when they had met. She would have died of sheer mortification.

But, she had a feeling, she was going to need all the help she could get to put him in the mood tonight.

She ran her hand through her hair one last time, sending it cascading in loose waves down her back, then opened the bathroom door and stepped out. Ned, his eyes closed, made a soft noise. "C'mon," he said, his voice slurred with exhaustion.

He could try that on her, but she knew better. She knew him much better.

"Well, Ned," she purred, walking over to his side of the bed, propping herself against the footboard with one hip cocked out as she gazed at him, "have you been a good boy this year?"

Ned made a soft noise, but whatever he was about to say died on his lips when he opened his eyes.

The bra was made of red lace so translucent it was pointless, molded tight to her breasts, the dusky points of her nipples obvious through it. The matching underwear was so brief it practically demanded a Brazilian wax, and it tied at the sides; the soft white pom-poms at the ends of the ribbons bounced lightly against her hips.

Ned immediately sprang out of bed and locked his bedroom door, his eyes wide. "Nan," he said warningly. "Definitely no."

She raised an eyebrow. "Oh, so it was okay for you to fuck my brains out three feet away from Hannah and my dad, but this isn't okay?"

Ned shook his head, and Nancy noticed that his gaze was very pointedly not sinking beneath her chin. "No. Not okay. They can fucking _sense it._ "

Her husband was still standing near the bed, and when Nancy took a slow step toward him, Ned backed up. "We never really got to fool around here," she said, peering at him from beneath her lashes. "Squeaky bedsprings, is that what's worrying you?"

"Y-yeah." She hadn't been able to make him this uncomfortable since, well, _years_ ago.

"Because I used to, after those times you would lead me by the hand upstairs to my bed and do your best to get into my panties... I'd imagine watching outside, for your mom to go to the store or do any damn thing to get her out of the house and leave you alone. Imagined walking up here, shutting the door behind me. You were always sitting at your desk, and your eyes would get so wide when you saw me walk in..."

Ned's gaze slid over to the desk, as though that could save him.

Nancy took another slow step toward him, and Ned swallowed. "And I'd tell you that I wanted you, so much, that every time we pulled back it fucking killed me, and I'd come over to you and..."

He backed up until his heels struck the wall, as she approached, and she gently palmed him through his flannel pants. "Touch you like this," she whispered, tilting her chin up. "Stroke you until you ripped my clothes off and threw me on your bed, until you told me that you couldn't stop and I'd tell you that I didn't want you to stop..."

Ned closed his eyes as she kept stroking him. "Okay, stop," he mumbled, but she could feel his hips pushing gently against her hand.

Nancy gently squeezed him. "So have you been a good boy, or a bad boy?"

"I think what I want to do right now would definitely put me in the 'bad boy' category," Ned murmured. "What do good boys get?"

"A kiss," Nancy said, brushing her thumb against his lips.

"And bad boys?"

"A kiss," Nancy repeated, but this time she shoved his pants down and sank to her knees. She kissed the tip of his cock, then traced slow kisses down his length. She took one of his balls in her mouth, swirling her tongue around it, and Ned let out a soft shuddering sigh, his fingers sliding into her hair. "Fuck," he snarled as she released it and licked the other.

She kissed her way back up his cock and ran her tongue around the head in widening swirls. Then she pushed herself back up to her feet.

Ned opened his eyes lazily. "I hate you," he murmured. "And have _you_ been a good girl this year, Nancy?"

She glanced down at her outfit, one eyebrow saucily raised when she looked back up. "The worst," she told him.

"Hmm," Ned said. He walked over to his desk and picked up his desk chair, placing it in the middle of the floor, cushioned by the rug. "I've heard there's only one cure for that, but if you make a single noise above a whisper, we'll have to continue this once the repairs are done, and who the hell knows when that will be."

Nancy nodded. "Okay."

He kept his gaze locked to hers as he swiftly untied first one side, then the other, and pulled her panties off. She let out a single whimper.

"Why don't you sit down," he murmured.

She obeyed him, and he caught her wrists and pulled them behind the chair back, using her panties to tie her to it. Then he circled back around, grasped her hips and pulled her to the very edge of the seat, and shoved her legs wide apart.

"Remember," he murmured, "you stay quiet."

She nodded and he slipped her legs up to fold over his shoulders as he knelt between her thighs.

At the first flick of the tip of his tongue over her clit, she sucked in a hard breath, tipping her head back. She arched and her breasts moved under the lace of her bra, as Ned slipped one finger between her legs, then traced her arousal over her clit. He circled it roughly and she panted, stifling a cry as he pressed his tongue into the hollow of her sex, still fondling her clit.

"You taste so good, baby," he growled, and when he rubbed his stubbled chin over her clit, she panted desperately, writhing to give him better access. _Fuck_ , it felt so good.

"You like that?"

"Yes," she begged, and brought her feet up, propping her heels against the edge of the chair as he suckled hard against her clit. He thrust three fingers roughly inside her and she released a soft whine. She could feel a single bead of sweat sliding between her breasts. Oh fuck, oh _fuck_ , she was so afraid that he was going to pull back before he let her come...

He bit her gently before he soothed her clit with his thumb, kissing and licking and nipping his way back down, until he was teasing her entrance with his tongue. She jerked, letting out a quiet sob as he pinched her clit, and as he ran the tip of his thumbnail over the sensitive bit of flesh he pressed his tongue inside her again, and she groaned as she clenched around him.

"Good girls don't like this," he told her. "Good girls don't get this fucking wet, baby, and they _definitely_ don't wear this slutty underwear."

She shook her head as Ned slowly licked her sex again, the tip of his thumb rubbing harder against her clit. Her belly, her breasts, _all_ of her felt tight with _need_ and desire, and she pressed on her heels so she could circle her hips, seeking the right angle, seeking him. The brush of his stubble would fucking murder her right now.

He fucked her with his fingers again as he, fuck, it was like he _knew_ , he dragged his chin over her clit and she panted harshly, her hips jerking in answer. "Please, _please,_ " she whimpered, flushed and gleaming with sweat. "Ohmygodyes yes yes yes right there _rightthere please_ —"

She came around his fingers as he suckled her clit, as he curved his fingers inside her and she _writhed_ and rounded her lips in silent panted screams. She came apart, shaking, and he drove her even fucking higher, rubbing her clit again as he licked her slick, hot pussy clean.

She was boneless, her head tipped back, trying to catch her breath when Ned finally pulled back. He disappeared into his bathroom and when he walked back in, she had no doubt that he had thoroughly washed his face and brushed his teeth.

He untied her and threw her onto the bed, the springs creaking faintly in protest as she fell, and when he followed and squeezed her nipples through her bra, she curled up a little, bending her legs.

"Was that like what you had in mind?"

She shook her head slowly. "Never in a million years," she murmured, wincing when he pushed her bra cups up to bare her breasts. Her nipples were still tingling, sensitive.

"And yet this was," he said, as he grasped her ass, tilting her hips up as he smoothly thrust his sex into hers.

She arched, her face creasing, her mouth falling open. Oh, _shit_ , she was too sensitive for it so soon, and then he brushed her clit—

She broke, thrusting her hips up hard and he, oh _fuck_ , his entire length was snug between her legs and she dug her nails into the blanket as they met each other's thrusts.

He grasped her hips and swung her over so she was astride him. "That's right," he growled as she pushed her knees apart, angling her hips before she began to ride him. "That's right, you dirty girl." He pinched her nipples and she panted desperately, fucking him harder, as hard as she could.

She whimpered when she began to come, letting out a soft groan. "Oh yes, baby, _yes_ ," she told him, as his hips pistoned up against hers. "Oh _yes_ , yes, oh my God, _yesssssss..."_

He pulled her down, crushing her mouth to his as she began to scream at the pleasure of it, their skin hot and slick where it touched. He loosed her bra and she shrugged it off, undulating over him, and then he rolled over, gravity drawing him deep between her thighs as she took his weight.

She groaned as he came, her lashes fluttering. "Fuck," she whispered, panting, as Ned let his head fall to the bed, beside her own.

"Mmmm," Ned agreed.

"And that was what _you_ had in mind?"

"Not until you started talking," Ned admitted. "I usually just imagined you letting me seduce you out of those cute little panties... but we've done that, and have I mentioned how fucking hot you look when I'm eating you out?"

Nancy chuckled, drawing her fingers through his hair. "Not lately."

Ned sighed and lifted himself off her. "Any second now, there's going to be a knock at the door. Mark my words," he said quietly, as he headed for the bathroom.

Shivering, Nancy scrambled off the bed, finding her actual nightgown. "Yeah. And I bet earlier your mom was like, 'Oh, James, our sex toys aren't _nearly_ so—'"

Ned flew out of the bathroom and tackled her swiftly to the bed. "They do _not_ —"

Nancy raised an eyebrow. "Darling," she murmured, pushing his hair off his forehead, "where do you think you get that _insatiable_ libido?"

"Ugh." Ned shook his head. "Not from them."

"Besides," Nancy pointed out, whispering directly into his ear, "given all those little hints they keep dropping about grandkids, sweetheart, they know better than to knock on your door at this hour."

Ned chuckled, letting her go. "Perfect excuse."

"Exactly." She kissed his cheek. "Now get some rest, baby. You're going to need it for Santa Nancy's next visit."

Ned wiggled his eyebrows as he pulled his pants back on. "We'll just see about that. _Someone_ was just a _very_ naughty girl. Throwing women into pools, seducing her incredibly horny husband..."

"It was _one_ woman," Nancy pointed out. "But it definitely sounds like I need to be punished."

"And as soon as we have our bedroom to ourselves again," he promised, slipping under the covers with her, "I promise to handle that _myself._ "

Nancy shivered, cuddling in close to him. "Perfect," she murmured.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter by killingstreak.

“A penny for your thoughts,” Bess said as she perched at the edge of her chair, her hands wrapped around her coffee cup.

Nancy blinked and looked at her friend. “Sorry.” She smiled. “Just zoning out.”

“When you're meeting your best friend after being away for a _million_ years?” Bess retorted, narrowing her eyes.

“Well, there was a cute guy behind you like, uh, thirty seconds ago.” Nancy pointed and Bess immediately whipped her head around.

“Where?”

“Gotcha.” Nancy smirked as she took a sip of her coffee. Onyx had gone underground for the past few weeks and she was grateful for that. It had meant that she finally had some time for Ned, uninterrupted quality time, and she had been able to celebrate Christmas with her family and friends.

Ned had flown back to L.A the weekend after Christmas. Even though she believed him when he swore that she was, and always would be, the only woman for him, her stomach couldn't help but flip a little at the prospect of him meeting Carly again, or a million other glamorous sexy ladies like her. Carly was the kind of woman who _loved_ a challenge. That silver wedding band Ned wore on his finger almost certainly made him even more desirable to someone like her. She would flirt so outrageously until one day Ned would decide that the distance between him and Nancy was too great, that the temptation was too much to resist, that they weren't who they had been anymore and he should just give in...

She shook her head, frowning, and Bess cast her a concerned glance. “Either you’ve landed yourself in some shit case or it's Ned,” Bess observed, and Nancy gave her a wry smile.

“It is a shit case, all right, but that's not it.”

“So, Ned.”

Nancy shook her head. “It's nothing.”

“If it's nothing, you wouldn't be acting like this.”

Nancy stirred her almost empty cup, stalling for time. “I... I don't really want to talk about it, Bess.”

Her eyes widening a little, Bess dropped her voice to a hushed whisper. “He's not seeing someone else, is he?”

Nancy's gaze snapped up to meet Bess's. “ _No_ ,” she answered quickly, her face flushing. She never really talked about it but Bess _had_ to know what life was like in L.A, how fucking gorgeous all the people there were, how each time she flew over to visit, she felt increasingly less confident in her ability to hold on to Ned. He was too fucking good-looking for his own good and there were just too many women by his side every single time she saw him out there.

She couldn't blame him, couldn't blame him for being that good-looking and charming and all that he was, and that only made her feel worse. He loved her, _that_ she knew, could see it in his gaze, the way he looked at her. He hadn't changed since the move to L.A, not really. _She_ was the one changing. She was the one feeling increasingly vulnerable, feeling like she could no longer satisfy him, no longer provide as a _wife_. The longer they stayed apart, the more afraid she was.

Ned had been slightly wary since the whole pool incident – in her defense, all she did was hook her leg around Carly's and give her a slight push. If that bitch hadn't grabbed her hair, Nancy would never have fallen into the pool, ruining her best pair of suede stilettos.

The way Carly had sneered when she had suggested that Ned would one day succumb to temptation.

Trade up. _The fuck._

Nancy wanted to surprise Carly with a judo move, land her defenseless on her back, hair in mouth, and then bitch-slap the shit out of her. _God._ She had fucking slid her hand into the crook of Ned's and actually hinted at her that she had no chance whatsoever.

Nancy was still stinging from the barb Carly had thrown in her direction, even these weeks later.

A baby's loud wailing cut into her train of thought and her gaze was drawn to the young frazzled mother trying to hush him up.

“You're not pregnant, are you?” Bess pressed, and Nancy snorted.

“God, I hope not.”

“You _hope_ not?”

“No, I'm not,” Nancy hurriedly corrected herself. “Definitely not.”

“And Ned's not...?”

Nancy sighed as she ran her fingers through her hair. She hadn't washed it the night before and it was getting limp and flat. Her thoughts once again strayed back to Carly and she hated herself for even envying the other woman. Carly had _nothing_ on her. She had Ned, she was the one who was married to him. He was _hers_.

_Hers._ Somehow, the thought wasn't very comforting.

_It's only a matter of time, Drew._

Nancy shook her head. “Honestly? With him in L.A and me in Chicago... Now's really not the best time to have kids. We're just not ready.”

“It must be tough. I didn't see Ned for _months_ after he moved out there. I actually thought he wouldn't be back for Christmas."

“So did I, for a while,” Nancy admitted as she propped her chin up. “I was half-expecting him to call and say he couldn't make it. Actually almost called you guys to see if you wanted to hang out at a bar or something.”

Bess raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, but Ned came back and we didn't hear from you after that.”

Nancy blushed. “Give us a break. I hadn't seen him in—”

“I get it,” Bess interrupted, nodding solemnly. “But I must say I was expecting more, Drew. Chicks before dicks, remember?”

Nancy laughed, but her laughter sounded strained to her ears. “I don't feel like I'm enough anymore,” she said so quietly that Bess had to strain to catch it.

“Nan...”

Nancy looked down at the napkin and her fingers twitched over it. “To be honest, I'm scared. I'm so damn scared that I'm going to lose him. I... Have you even seen what I'm up against?”

“On TV, yeah,” Bess replied. The corners of Nancy's lips curved up a little into a small, sad smile.

“They're all so fucking _gorgeous_ out there.”

“So?” Bess asked, and Nancy shook her head. “Ned loves you. I swear that guy will go to hell and back ten times if you ask him to. Have you seen the way he looks at you? I wish Nathan would look at me like that.”

“Nathan _does_ look at you like that,” Nancy replied mildly. “That guy's insanely in love with you too.”

“See? So you know that Ned's insanely in love with you.”

“I do.” Nancy nodded before stopping to choose her words. “It's just... I don't believe in _myself_. Every single time I fly over or meet the people he works with... I feel miserable. I feel goddamn miserable and sick. I'm sick of knowing that if I show up in one less than perfect dress, if my makeup isn't perfect, if I miss another date, I'll let Ned down, that people are watching, fuck, _everyone_ is watching. They're all watching, waiting for me to slip up once and then they'll all go, why is that guy so crazy for her, what does he see in her, god, he can _definitely_ do better than that, and _fuck_ , I just _know_ it, I can _feel_ it—”

“Nan.” Bess touched her hand and Nancy jerked, her gaze wet, and realized that a tear had slipped down her cheek.

“Nan,” Bess repeated again, her voice soft, her eyes wide. “I've never seen you like this before.”

“I'm miserable, Bess,” Nancy choked out and she blinked hard, her cheeks burning. God, she hadn't meant to lose it like this. “Why is it so hard to say that to Ned?”

“Because he's happy,” Bess murmured as she stroked her friend's hand. “And you want him to be happy.”

Nancy nodded as she swiped at her cheeks, wincing when she saw traces of mascara on the napkin. “I do. I want him to be happy so bad.”

“And he's happy in L.A.,” Bess said cautiously, and Nancy nodded again. “But surely he must want you there with him too.”

“He does. He wants me to pack up and move there to be with him. And I... I don't know.”

“ _Move_?” Bess repeated loudly, and Nancy looked away. “So this whole thing... It's permanent? For good?”

“It could be, yeah,” Nancy answered, and she closed her eyes. She had been avoiding this for forever, had resisted talking about it because talking meant acknowledging and she didn't want to. She didn't want to accept the fact that Ned could quite possibly stay in L.A for good. That she would be separated from her husband for good, that she would be right and the distance would one day prove to be too much and he would talk about _divorce_ because he wanted to be free–

“How can he be happy without me?” she asked, her voice breaking, and Bess shifted her chair to pull her into her embrace. “How can he when I'm so lost without him? It's as if I don't matter...”

“Shh.” Bess hushed her as she stroked her back. “He loves you. Ned loves you and he could never be happy without you.”

Nancy wanted to believe her. She pulled back and her gaze was watery again, her smile wan.

“I should move, right?”

Bess gave her a small smile. “I can't help you with that, honey. You'll have to figure it out on your own.”

-

Nancy keyed herself into the house, sighing as she turned on the lights. The house felt so empty without Ned's presence and she found herself looking dispassionately at the furniture. How they had fought over the color of the sofa – she had wanted beige, Ned had wanted black – the spacious dining table that could easily sit 8 people—“it's the perfect height for a high-chair too,” Ned had said, and she had side-stepped his underlying meaning. This was the house they had chosen together, the house they wanted to grow old in, to raise _children_ in, and now that Ned was no longer here, it didn't feel like home anymore. It felt empty, felt almost soulless. Nancy wanted to fly up to L.A right that second to find Ned and shake him by the shoulders until he remembered the life he wanted to have back in Chicago. A life _together,_ with her.

Instead, she opted to kick off her shoes and walk to the bathroom where she could wash off her tears in the shower.

She was just toweling her hair dry when the phone rang.

“Hey,” Ned greeted her when she answered it, and his voice was so soft, as if he _knew_ what she had been thinking.

“Hey,” Nancy parroted back as she sat down on her, no, _their_ bed. Ned had been back to their house so seldom that she no longer found herself sticking to her side of the bed; on the few times they had fallen asleep together, she realized that Ned had also started to take up the entire bed. That memory alone brought a small lump to her throat. They were changing, in so many subtle ways, but they were. She hated the thought but they were _adapting,_ adapting to this facade of a marriage. She looked at couples on the subway, on the way to work, when her colleagues got picked up at work, and she felt a stab of envy every single time. She had nothing but a wedding band on her left hand. It was everything, but it felt like nothing.

“Are you okay?” he asked gently, and she swallowed the lump in her throat.

“Yeah,” Nancy answered, her voice rough.

“You're not.”

Nancy closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead. She made a sound, but couldn't find anything to say.

“I don't know what you're thinking anymore, Nan,” Ned said, and this time she let the tears fall freely.

She could see the end, could see how they were going to end.

“No,” she agreed quietly. She could see him seated on his bed, leaning against the headboard, massaging the bridge of his nose while he listened to her breathe.

“We should talk.”

“Not like this,” she spat, and she was shocked at the venom in her voice. She hadn't meant it; she hadn't even known she had it in her.

“Nan...” Nancy could sense his frustration.

“I'm tired,” Nancy whispered and she knew she was a coward, knew she was avoiding the inevitable. “We can talk tomorrow.”

“Sure.” Ned sighed. Nancy tucked her knees under her chin as she looked at the new windowpane, and she thought of the promise he had made her, to fuck her senseless after the damage done to their room by the fallen tree was repaired, and it all felt so empty now, felt so faraway and forgotten.

“I love you,” Nancy murmured, and her heart ached when he waited for a beat before replying. One day he wouldn't say it back. One day he would leave her forever.

-

Ned was with a woman, someone whose features she couldn't quite make out. The woman was leaning against Ned, her head tipped up, laughing at some joke Ned was making, her poise elegant, her figure perfect.

She actually looked like the perfect trophy wife.

Ned was gazing directly at her and Nancy couldn't tear her gaze away as she watched Ned loop his arm around the woman and pull her close.

_But I'm here._ She tried to scream, tearful, but Ned didn't once look in her direction.

She didn't exist. At least not to him.

The alarm went off and Nancy forced her eyes open, blinking a few times before the room came into focus.

_Ned._

She was awake and Ned was still her husband, was still faithful, it was all just a dream and –

_If he ever does cheat, you have only yourself to blame._ That small, cowardly voice came back and echoed painfully in her head.

Her gaze fell onto their wedding photo, framed and hanging on the wall, and she wanted to take it down, wanted to turn it face-down onto the table.

Sighing, she pulled herself out of bed and headed to the shower.

She toyed with the idea of calling Ned the entire way to work but each time her fingers strayed to her phone on the dash, she pulled it back. Talking wasn't going to be any help. At least, not when they were thousands of miles apart.

-

“We dug up more stuff on Alpha,” Richards commented as he dumped a stack of files on her table. Nancy looked up, her brow furrowing, and he shrugged. More information was always good; it was just that this was an old case gone cold and the team had lost most of its enthusiasm. There were much speculation that this guy they were tracking had already been killed during a drug deal gone bad a few months back, but their client wanted DNA, wanted concrete, solid evidence. If Nancy had her way, she would have closed this case a long time ago and left it to gather cobwebs. They were wasting precious resources on this wild goose-chase. A new case had come in yesterday and Nancy was eager to work on that.

“Thanks.” Nancy flashed him a small smile as she opened the first file. It was probably stuff they had already gone through a million times, the same information just documented differently.

“By the way, Brown's looking for you.”

Nancy raised an eyebrow. “I wonder why,” she murmured, and Richards shrugged again.

“Maybe a raise?” he offered and she laughed, shaking her head.

She loved this place, loved her colleagues, and Richards was her best partner so far. He was funny, smart, and they worked well together. Ned had been particularly pleased to hear that he was also happily married and had never once tried to pull any moves on her.

_Ned._

She wanted him back here. Back _home_. She had been so certain that the week he had spent here during Christmas would bring back memories, would provide a sufficient pull to convince him that this was where home _truly_ was, where their family and friends were, but it hadn't been enough. Everything they had here wasn't enough, anything she said would not be enough –

She cleared her throat and knocked on Brown's office door. The door was open but she knocked anyway. When she first came to work for the agency, he had been extra harsh on her and word had been that he didn't want her to get all cocky and think that she could get all kinds of favors just because she was a Drew. Four years later, she had proven all her critics wrong and had made herself indispensable to the operation. When she had gotten married, they had jokingly begged her not to go for too long on honeymoon and leave them in the lurch.

She _loved_ her job. Even if the hours were brutal at times and there was hardly any recognition, she loved it. Loved being in the office, surrounded by people who liked her, who lived and breathed this.

Between juggling the endless cases here and Frank's Onyx problem, she hardly made it back home before eleven each night. A small part of her dreaded going back to their big, empty house. Here there was a constant supply of coffee and she found the clatter of fingernails against keyboards comforting.

She didn't want to go, didn't want to leave Chicago behind and go to L.A. She didn't want to leave a place so like her second home and go somewhere so foreign and work her way up from the bottom again. Didn't want to deal with the instant stereotype of being just another pretty redhead who couldn't be taken seriously.

She forced a smile onto her face. “You wanted to see me, sir?”

“Sit down.” He gestured and Nancy obliged, her back ramrod straight.

“I heard that you've been called to help in the Onyx case.”

Nancy nodded. “I could be compromised as well so –”

“I know damn well what could happen. Information of the nation's best agents leaked.”

“Yes sir. But that doesn't mean I haven't been concentrating on Alpha either –”

“I know.” He cut her off and Nancy clamped her mouth shut. “But does that put too many things on your plate?”

“I don't like to leave things hanging.”

“Can't sleep in peace, eh.” He chuckled and a rare smile flitted across his face. “Ah, I know that feeling.” He shuffled a few papers on his desk before taking off his glasses and rubbing the bridge of his nose. “Anyway, the reason why I called you here is to tell you that I'm taking you off the Alpha case.”

Nancy leaned forward in surprise. “But why?”

He shrugged. “It's a cold case and you know it too. I'm leaving it to the juniors. I've got a call from the HQ and I want you to be focusing solely on Onyx. You are working with Hardy, aren't you?”

Nancy nodded. “Yes. But Onyx has been keeping a low profile recently and they have equally good people on it. I can still work on the Alpha case.”

_Anything that can keep me occupied till it's time to sleep in that big, cold bed alone._

“It's a waste of your time,” Brown remarked. “Besides, Richards can take over your place. I want you to focus solely on Onyx.”

Nancy nodded slowly. “Okay.”

She had just settled back into her chair when her cell rang. Her stomach flipped a little at the thought that it might be Ned calling, but when she looked at the screen, Frank's number was flashing.

“Hey,” Nancy greeted him as she idly stacked the papers on her cluttered desk. “So you heard.”

“Yep,” Frank admitted. “Got to say I don't mind the extra help, especially if it's _you_.”

“So you have anyone in particular to track? Perhaps another dinner date?”

Frank chuckled. “How about a _real_ dinner date?”

He trailed off and Nancy remained silent. He knew that Ned was out of town but it was just _dinner_.

“I, uh, might be a little occupied,” Nancy replied, hedging. Even though _nothing_ would happen, she knew that Ned would never take it as lightly.

“Come on,” Frank coaxed. “Ned's away and someone has to make sure you eat.”

As if Ned would know. Besides, there was really nothing wrong with having dinner with a _friend._

“All right,” Nancy agreed.

Frank whooped. “Pick you up at seven.”

“Sure.”

Ned definitely didn't need to know.

-

“So now that you've been relieved of your other cases... I can have you all to myself,” Frank proclaimed over dinner, then backtracked when Nancy cast him a loaded glance.

“I didn't mean it that way,” he temporized, but Nancy couldn't help noticing how hot he looked today. She tried to remember the last time Ned had took her out for a really nice dinner that hadn't also doubled as a work function, but couldn't.

“So how's Ned?” Frank asked a little too casually, and Nancy let a small smile cross her face.

“He's good. He's happy there.”

“And is he ever going to come back?” Frank raised an eyebrow and she hated how he could read her so easily, could find out what was troubling her in an instant.

She shrugged, trying to act flippant. “When he misses me enough, maybe.”

“That can't be true,” Frank murmured.

Nancy looked down at her plate, willing her eyes not to well up with tears. She took a deep breath and looked up and it was kind of pointless, really, because Frank could tell that her eyes had reddened.

“Chicago isn't enough for him.” She looked down and stabbed at her fillet viciously, ignoring his concerned gaze. “He wants to make it _big_ and Los Angeles is where it's all loud and posh and glamorous.”

“And what about you.”

She looked at him and shrugged again. “I love my job. Ned loves his too. Who am I to say that he should give up his and come back to me? Who am I to say that he _has to_ make that sacrifice?”

“But you guys must have at least talked about it.”

She laughed but it held no humor. “Yea. And it all ended very nicely.”

“He must know how much your job means to you,” Frank said cautiously, and she knew what he wasn't saying.

_Things would be so much easier with me. At least I understand._

“And I know how much his job means to him.”

Frank sighed and Nancy winced. Their dinner probably wasn't going the way he had imagined. They weren't talking about cases or laughing about stupid mistakes.

“Then I guess it depends on what makes you truly happy,” Frank finally said. His hand had slowly moved across the table, to where hers rested.

“He drives me nuts sometimes,” Nancy muttered and Frank dipped his head.

“That, I know.”

-

Ned hadn't called her for the entire day. She wasn't expecting him to call, anyway. The last time they spoke, well, it had been tense and both of them had sounded like they couldn't wait to get off the line.

If she flew up to visit him, would it make things worse?

She threw herself onto the couch and stared up at the ceiling, watching the shadows creep across the paint.

_You never know until you try._ Hannah's gentle voice echoed in her head and Nancy closed her eyes, pressing her palm to her forehead.

She would book the next flight to L.A.

-

She had initially wanted to give Ned a call but at the very last minute she changed her mind. A small part of her wanted to catch him off-guard, wanted to see what he was actually doing at work, his behavior, the kind of people he hung out with...

She caught herself and shook her head. She was acting like a paranoid wife and she was _definitely_ not one.

Ned's workplace was easy to find and when she strode into the building lobby in skintight leather pants and a white linen blouse, she felt many pairs of eyes on her. She wondered if these same people eyeballed Ned as well.

She went to the receptionist at the counter and, careful to keep her left hand out of sight, she put on her sweetest smile and asked for Ned. She smoothly fibbed that she was a last-minute model for one of the ads he was working on and had been called for a casting session. Ned had told her that he generally refrained from being in charge of casting but with any luck, the receptionist would be unaware of that.

Five minutes later, she was heading to where Ned was shooting.

-

She made the cab stop one street away from where the advertisement was being shot and even from this far away, she could already recognize her husband. He was dressed in slacks and his dress shirt's sleeves were rolled up, the back of his shirt already drenched with sweat. A bevy of models were hanging in the background, with makeup crew and stylists fussing over them and Nancy hesitated for a moment. She didn't want to interrupt anything or worse, embarrass Ned by turning up.

She heard the director yell cut and then Ned was moving away from the set, his hands in his pockets. Nancy walked forward, about to intercept him, when she noticed a model coming up to him, an added swing to her hips.

Nancy scowled, watching her close the gap. The girl took off her cap and revealed cinnamon-colored hair that stopped short of her neck. She turned slightly and Nancy caught her side profile and her stomach immediately did a flip. She looked just like Amanda Syms.

_Oh god, please, no._

Nancy wanted to laugh out loud. Could it be that out of all the _thousands_ of models available, they had picked her?

The Amanda lookalike touched Ned's arm and he stopped, turning. Nancy watched, utterly jealous as she attempted to stand on tiptoe and cup her hand around her mouth as she whispered something to him. Ned's handsome face split into a grin and the girl burst into a small fit of giggles, and then he looked up and met Nancy's gaze.

She wanted to die when she saw the way his smile froze on his face and slowly slipped off.

She had been fiddling with her ring the entire time and when Ned held her gaze but made no attempt to move towards her, she gave him a small wan smile before she turned, tears welling up in her eyes.

He was so happy here. Her presence probably made him unhappy. Unhappy, uncomfortable, uneasy.

She disappeared down a side-alley and when the first tear streaked down her cheek, she impatiently swiped it away.

Crying was for babies. Crying wasn't going to solve anything. Besides, she had been crying a little too much recently.

“Nan!” she heard Ned shout and she stopped, mid-stride, her feet hurting. She heard him coming up behind her but she didn't turn, not until he gripped her shoulders and turned her around to face him.

“Nan,” he repeated, and she didn't dare to look into his eyes. She was afraid of what she would see.

“Why are you running?” he asked and she shook her head. She didn't see the point of talking anymore.

“Why are you here,” Ned sighed, and something in her snapped. She was miserable and she was angry.

“Because you aren't coming back to Chicago, so I have to fly to L.A to fucking _talk_ to you."

Ned released her shoulders and took a step back, his gaze hardening. He shook his head slightly and she felt the anger in her start to bubble up.

“Is this how it is going to be every time? Every time we see each other we're going to fucking argue? I am _sick_ of this, Nan. I love L.A., okay, and Chicago is fucking fine too, but L.A is where I want to be _now_ , and if you sneak up on me like this at work just to check if I'm fucking some other girl then I'm _sorry_ that you have so little faith in me,” Ned spat, and she flinched but she held his gaze.

“I know you're hoping that I'll come back but it's not going to be anytime soon. This is my _big break_. I'm fucking on the rise here and if you try to stop me,” he shook his head, “I'll have to tell you that I'm not going back. This is where I want to be now, and I'm staying put.”

He trailed off and Nancy licked her lips. Her mouth felt dry, her tongue thick.

“So that's it? You're just going to live here while your _wife_ stays in another state?”

She knew it was a cheap trick but she blinked and forced the tears down her cheeks, and Ned shuffled uncomfortably, his hands stuffed into his pockets.

“Hey,” he whispered as he took a step forward, and she jerked slightly out of his reach. “Nan, baby, please don't cry.”

She shook her head and took another step back, and he seemed to deflate by the second.

“Nan...” He trailed off and then he looked down and sighed heavily. “How did it get like this?”

She shook her head again and when she opened her mouth to speak, her voice was trembling.

“It's not that I don't have faith in you. I _do_. It's just that I don't have faith in myself. I sneak up on you at work because I want to see the kind of competition I'm up against. How can I compete? You have everyone, blondes, brunettes, exotic, Asians, and I know I shouldn't but I can't stop myself. I feel like shit, Ned. I feel so fucking _miserable_. I know I'm no match for the people around you but I can't stop myself from wanting to know who they are, how they look. I can't seem to stop torturing myself. And I want it to stop, I want this whole thing to stop. I don't want to keep thinking that because you see so many gorgeous women in your line of work, when you actually fly back to see boring old _me_ , you don't want me anymore.” She looked at him, her gaze imploring, and he was speechless.

“You say I don't trust you, that I don't want you to be happy. But that's not true. Do you know how much I love you? I love you enough to say that if this makes you happy, fuck, I can stay miserable every day, struggling with my self-esteem, struggling to feel like I'm _enough_ , just so that at the end of the day you go to bed smiling and happy, and I want to give you that. I want you to be happy.”

“How can I be happy when you're not by my side,” Ned whispered as he stepped in closer, and this time she didn't move away.He brushed her hair aside and she closed her eyes, tears slipping down her wet cheeks.

He pulled her into his arms and she let out a small ragged sob and then he was hugging her tight, stroking her back.

“I'm sorry, baby,” Ned murmured. “I'm so, so, sorry. I didn't see it that way, I didn't know you would think that way. You are the most gorgeous woman I've ever met, Nan, and no one, _no one_ can ever compare with you.”

She sucked in a breath and her tears were drenching the front of his shirt, but he didn't care.

“One day you won't think like that,” she whispered, miserable, and Ned pulled back, his gaze searching hers.

“I love you,” Ned said firmly. “And I want you to be happy too. I wish we could be happy together.”

“We could,” Nancy pointed out softly, and Ned shook his head.

“It's always going to be my work versus yours.”

“Why are things so hard,” Nancy murmured, and Ned took her in his arms again, holding her tight to him, her body pressing against his.

“I don't know,” Ned mumbled back, as he ran his hands up her back, savoring the warmth of her flesh. He missed her so much. He had had countless of offers, some veiled, some completely overt, and while the temptation was incredibly great – would remain great so long as he was a guy – he had turned them down every single time. There was only one woman he really wanted and she was in his arms now.

His knee gently slid between her legs and she made a muffled sound as his fingers crept to her hips. When he had been chasing after her, he had been unable to tear his gaze away from that incredible ass of hers.

His lips brushed her temple and she closed her eyes, her breathing hitching a little and then he spoke, his breath warming her ear as she shivered.

“Give yourself to me.”

She pulled back, her eyes so wide. Ned caught her and crushed his lips to hers, his hands cupping her ass as he roughly angled her hips, and she gasped mid-kiss.

She opened her mouth to protest but then he cupped her breasts and she felt the answering throb between her legs when he flicked her nipple. He pinned her against the wall and his fingertips trailed a line up her inner thigh, and she was trembling.

“Every single time I see a hot woman, I go to the bathroom and think of you and jerk off,” Ned breathed, and he watched, his heart singing, as her lips curled up.

“You are all I ever want,” Ned murmured as he undid her fly and opened up her pants. “All I ever will need.”

“This feels like Paris all over again,” Nancy managed to force out just as he shoved his hand into her pants and ran his fingertip teasingly around her clit.

“I want you to ride me,” Ned whispered into her ear, and a delicious shiver ran down her spine. “I want you to ride me hard and fast, take every single inch and fuck me until you're crying out my name.”

“Do you think of that often,” Nancy murmured as she palmed his erect cock through the fabric of his slacks.

“Every single day since I flew back,” Ned answered as he kissed her again, his hands working to push down the tight fabric of her pants.

She unzipped his pants and broke the kiss and Ned growled impatiently as the fabric rolled up and she wriggled her hips.

“So fucking hot,” Ned groaned, and then she was licking her palm and wrapping it around his cock.

“Why does your hand feel so much better than mine,” he murmured, grinning as he successfully pushed her pants down and Nancy stepped out of them, casting a swift look around them.

“Don't you have to work,” Nancy groaned. She squeezed her eyes shut as Ned pushed down her panties and gently traced her slit, drawing out her juice before slipping one finger in. He added another finger and she arched, as her other hand reached to cup his balls.

“And leave you like this?” Ned asked, incredulous, and when he sank to his knees, Nancy nearly cried out in delight. She stepped over him and then his mouth was at the most intimate part of her, sucking and swirling, and she squealed softly when it darted in, pressing against her. He moved upwards and licked her clit and she cried out when he flicked it, teasing it. He rubbed his stubble against her and her knees buckled as she staggered slightly, her hands pushing against his shoulders to hold herself upright. He brushed against her again and the pleasure the coarse hair brought against her sensitive skin was so fucking delicious that she moaned aloud, her hand snaking to grip the back of his head and push him closer.

When he pulled back, she was breathing heavily, her nipples tight nubs, her hair tousled, her knees bent.

“If I could shoot you like this...” Ned trailed off, his voice reverent as he looked up at her, and she blushed.

“Come here,” he ordered gruffly and with great effort, she pushed herself off the wall to obey. He settled himself into a sitting position and when Nancy positioned herself over him, he was practically trembling with desire.

“Sit,” he commanded, his hands gripping her hips as she squatted over him. She reached behind her to angle his cock and gave him a wicked grin when she guided his head to stroke the length of her slit, watching him squirm with impatience.

“ _Now_ , goddammit, lady,” Ned growled. Nancy chuckled softly as she took him extremely slowly, and Ned had to use every ounce of his self-control to stop himself from shoving up inside her.

“Baby,” he groaned and Nancy let out a soft whimper as she adjusted to his size. “Please,” he ground out as she smirked and started to move slowly, her hips moving in a figure eight. He straightened his legs and she leaned back, her arms propped against his knees as she started to ride him faster, and his gaze was drawn to his cock slipping in and out of her. She was so wet that there was virtually no friction and each time she took him back in again, she intentionally contracted her inner walls, making her impossibly tighter, and he groaned. If they were on a bed, he would have flipped her over and shoved her legs up in the air and fucked her hard but as it was, they were on the pavement and he didn't want to get her blouse all dirty.

“Faster,” he begged and she nodded lazily as she pushed herself upright and moved a little faster, whimpering when he pushed himself further into her. He watched in fascination as her breasts bounced with her every thrust and he cupped them in his hands, marveling at their weight. When his thumb circled around her nipple, she moaned aloud and Ned looked around to make sure they had no audience.

His other hand brushed against her clit and she jerked, a soft cry escaping her as she shuddered, her inner walls clamping down on him again. She was still moving at the same steady pace and he was dying to really fuck her. When she bounced up again, he lifted her off him and climbed to his feet, his legs protesting. She was completely flushed, her hair sticking to her face, and she looked so hot with just her blouse on, her pants discarded on the floor.

He picked her up and she immediately wrapped her legs around his waist. When the head of his cock butted against her entrance, they moaned in unison. It slipped in and she buried her face in the crook of his neck as he started to fuck her hard and fast, his cock pistoning in and out of her, the angle allowing him to penetrate her fully.

“Fuck,” Nancy cried out as Ned gripped her ass and smacked it once, the sound of skin on skin bringing a prickly flush to her cheeks.

“Say my name,” he growled and spanked her again, and she leaned forward to lightly needle his earlobe with her teeth in retaliation.

“Say it,” he repeated, his thrusts getting shorter and faster, his breaths coming in harsh pants. She buried her face against his neck, and at one particularly vicious thrust, she sank her teeth into his skin and when he realized she was marking him, he fucked her with renewed energy.

“Ned,” she moaned and she started to shake in his arms, first a small tremble of her hips and then they were bucking, her legs tightening to pull him closer to her. He thrust once more and then he pulled her down to him until he was buried as deep as possible in her as he came.

“Urgh,” Nancy mumbled as he slowly let her down to stand on her shaky feet. She leaned against the wall in support and when their gazes met, she couldn't help snorting.

“Can we ever have a _normal_ meeting?”

“One that doesn't involve yelling or taking our clothes off?” Ned asked, one eyebrow raised as he gingerly zipped back up.

“Yeah,” Nancy nodded as she quickly pulled on her panties and wriggled into her pants.

“Yelling, yeah. But clothes-wise, no.” Ned shook his head. “With that ass of yours, I don't think I ever want to promise that.”

Nancy narrowed her eyes at him and Ned sighed as he wrapped his arms around her and dropped a kiss on the crown of her head.

“Baby... You will always be the only one for me. I _swear_. I wish I knew how to convince you that there will never be anyone else for me but I don't know how. And I'm sorry I made you feel that way. Could you forgive me?”

She pulled back and her eyes were shining. “Would you come back?”

He dropped his gaze and she looked away.

“I know,” she whispered and when they met each other's gaze, she could see the pain mirrored in their eyes.

“We'll figure this out,” Nancy promised and she took his hand, her thumb stroking the wedding ring on his finger.

“We're stronger than this,” Ned said, and Nancy smiled, nodding.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter by littlemsmessy.

All Ned wanted to do was change into shorts and a t-shirt, eat some pizza, drink a beer or two, and talk to his wife. That was it. His day at work had been spectacularly crappy, and he was in no mood to come home to an empty apartment; at least the sound of Nancy’s voice would make things a little better. He pushed the unlock button on his car’s keyfob and tossed his briefcase into the trunk before sliding into the driver’s seat.  

After fishing in his glove compartment for his sunglasses, Ned slid his cell phone out of his pants pocket, typing out a quick email to Nancy with one hand while loosening his tie with the other. She had told him that he had free reign to call her anytime he wanted now, that it wouldn’t put her into danger, but he was still afraid of what could happen if her phone went off at the wrong time.

 _Hey, babe,_ he started the message. _Since I haven’t heard from you today, I’m guessing you’re still tied up in meetings there in Boston.   Call me when you get the chance? Love you._ Sighing, he pressed send, tossing his phone onto the seat next to him before starting the car’s ignition.  

While things were still far from perfect between him and Nancy, they had improved somewhat since she had surprised him on location. Still, they hadn’t really risked an in-depth, serious conversation since then, for fear that it would end in them hurling ugly words and accusations at each other. Again.  

They were still stuck in this odd limbo, leading separate lives in separate cities, meeting up when they could. It wasn’t anything like a marriage, or anything like their marriage used to be, but Ned sensed that both of them were afraid to disturb the fragile peace. He knew he definitely was.

He was just about to pull into the parking lot of his favorite pizzeria in Los Angeles when his phone rang. Ned pushed a button on his car radio to activate his Bluetooth through the speakers. “Ned Nickerson speaking.”

"Hey, honey!” Ned smiled when he heard Nancy’s voice surrounding him in the car. “Got your email. I miss you.”

“Right back at you, baby. So, was I right? Are you still in Boston?”

“I am,” she sighed. “I just need a few more days to wrap things up here. I’m so close, Ned! The sweet, grandmotherly bookkeeper is just about to confide in me about her embezzling scheme, I can feel it! I think she’ll crack when I take her to lunch tomorrow.”

“It’s always the grandmas, isn’t it?”  

Ned was gratified to hear her laugh. “Yep - you have to watch out for them. Anyway, I can’t wait to come home to you this weekend, baby. I miss you so much. Plus, I hate sleeping alone.”

"Well, there’s a sex swing at the house with your name on it. I was thinking that we should order in dinner and spend all of Saturday naked.”

“That sounds amazing, Ned,” she said truthfully. “However…”

He frowned. “What’s with the ‘however’, Nan? Didn’t you just say that you’re almost done with your case?”

"I did, but we made plans to go out on Saturday night, remember?”

"Damn it,” Ned swore, lightly smacking the leather steering wheel. “Who are we going with? More importantly, can we get out of it? We get so little alone time as it is…”

“We’re going with the gang to that new piano bar place. You know, the one that’s like live karaoke with pianos? Plus, I just talked to my friend Mark last night – we worked together before he moved to Iowa so he could marry his boyfriend Steven? Well, they’ll be in Chicago this weekend, so I invited them to join us.”

“Nan, you have got to be kidding. I am giving up my Saturday night after we’ve been apart for more than two weeks to spend time watching people get drunk off their asses and pretend like they’re on _American Idol_?” Ned’s voice rose with outrage.

“Oh, come on, it’ll be fun! Stop being such a spoilsport. Besides, I planned on drinking way too much and letting you take advantage of me when we got home, so you can always look forward to that.”

Ned considered for a moment, but even the image of a drunk and naked Nancy didn’t help wipe the scowl off his face. “You’re just lucky that I love you, Nan,” he grumbled.  

"I sure am, Ned. Now, it’s what, seven o’clock in California? What are you doing for dinner?”

"I thought I’d take my girlfriend out for a nice steak,” he teased. “After all, she’s had to put out for the whole last week, since I’ve been apart from my wife.” Once the words were out of his mouth, he wanted to curse himself for poking at what could be a still-open wound. The episode with Carly at the holiday party, on top of Nancy’s meltdown after seeing the Amanda lookalike, showed that she was still anxious about his faithfulness.  

"Well, you have fun with that, but don’t stay out too late,” she replied airily. Ned was relieved that she took his comment for the joke that he meant it to be.

“No promises, babe.”

They talked for a few minutes more before exchanging tender good-byes, promising to speak again later that night. Ned hung up and got out of the car to order his pizza, still smiling at the thought of seeing his wife that weekend.  

\--

Nancy sighed as she hung up. She hated lying to Ned about her whereabouts and her casework, but she didn’t want to get into another argument about her safety, and she knew he’d blow up if he were aware that she was still on the trail of Onyx. Not to mention her close proximity to Frank Hardy, she silently admitted to herself.  

She was back in New York, at Frank's urgent request. The ever-elusive Onyx was aware of how close they were getting to catching him, and had tried to pin his double-dealings on Joe, much to Frank’s anger and frustration. Joe’s last case was a near-disaster when his main contact had tried to kill him, under the mistaken impression that Joe was going to reveal his identity and all kinds of other secrets.  

Now there were agents hot on Joe’s trail, ready and willing to take care of him in their own way for fear that their identities would be compromised. Given this new twist, Frank had begged her to come help them catch the real Onyx, once and for all. She found that she couldn’t turn him down, but she also couldn’t tell her husband, either. Their physical distance was causing enough emotional distance in their relationship; she didn’t need to add more.  

Nancy took a sip of her Diet Coke and forced herself to concentrate on her work. She had a plan to let Ned know how much he still meant to her when they saw each other, and she really hoped it would work.  

\--

On Friday morning, Ned was just pouring himself a third cup of coffee in his office’s break room when he felt his cell phone vibrate in his suit pocket. Smiling when he saw his wife’s picture appear on the screen, he answered the call. “Hey, baby! Please tell me that you’re calling to confirm you’re still coming home tonight. I should be there by nine – my flight leaves late this afternoon.” He kept his voice pitched low as he walked back to his desk, his cup of coffee in his other hand. The thought of having over two whole days – and nights – with his wife was almost too good to be true.  

"I am,” she told him. “I am _so_ excited to see my handsome, sexy husband that I couldn’t wait a minute longer. So, I booked an earlier flight and should get in around six–that way, I’ll be there when you get home!”

"Okay!” Ned replied, suddenly feeling his mood get considerably better. “Wait, shit,” he groaned, sitting down at his desk and clicking on his calendar in Outlook. “Shit, shit, shit!   I just got an invite for a meeting from two-thirty to four. They **_know_** I’m scheduled to go home tonight. Who the fuck schedules a meeting on a Friday afternoon, anyway?” He took a slug of coffee, grimacing at the bitterness. As much as he liked his new administrative assistant Heather, the woman could not make a decent pot of coffee if her life depended upon it.  

“Someone with no life of their own?” Nancy joked. “It’s okay, baby – I’ll meet you back at the house, where I may or may not be wearing something tiny and scandalous.”

“What can I do to increase the chances that you _will_ be wearing something tiny and scandalous?” Ned grinned.  

“Promise that you’ll jump me as soon as you walk in the door?”

“Done,” he told her, slapping his hand on his desk. “That was easy.” Their banter reminded him of what they used to be like, before, and he felt himself relax.  

Nancy laughed. “Okay, well, I have to go now, honey. Have a good day at work and I’ll see you later!”

"See you later,” Ned echoed. “Have a safe flight, sweetheart. Love you.” Ned still had a grin on his face when Heather walked in a few minutes later, a stack of papers in her hand.

"So, I’m assuming that was your wife you were speaking to when you came in here?” she teased, handing him the papers.  

"It was; how could you tell?” he replied absently, shuffling through the stack. “Do I just need to sign these, or what?”

"You do,” Heather confirmed. “It’s the proposal for the new cola campaign. Once I have your signature, I’ll FedEx it to the London office.”

"Perfect.” Ned picked up the silver pen that Nancy had given him as one of his Christmas gifts and scrawled his name on the documents.  

Heather thanked him as he handed the papers back across the desk. “Oh, and that silly smile on your face told me right away that your wife was on the other end of the phone. You only look like that when something involves her. I didn’t need to be a brilliant investigator to figure it out, sir.” Ned’s grin got wider at her reference to Nancy. “So, where’d she go this time, and will she be able to meet you in Chicago this weekend?”  

“Boston, and she’s coming back today. In fact, she’s coming home earlier than expected, but of course I can’t meet her at the airport because Kesey the Jackass booked a late afternoon meeting. Sorry," Ned amended, apologizing for his language.  

She waved her hand. “Please – it is well established that Kesey is, indeed, a jackass.” They both laughed. “It must be tough for you to be apart so much, especially considering how crazy you are about each other.”  

Ned shrugged, glad that she didn’t bring up what had happened at the holiday party. Even after a few months, people still buzzed about his wife and his former client scrabbling in the pool.   The guys found the catfight hot, but it still made him uncomfortable.  

“It is, but we’re kinda used to it, I guess. Kinda. After all, what’s the alternative? Not being together isn’t an option. One-quarter of her time is still better to me than a hundred percent of someone else’s, you know?” He knew there was another alternative, all right, but he couldn’t even think about it.  

“That’s so sweet,” Heather smiled. “Not every couple could make this work, you know. I mean, high school sweethearts with two very busy careers, lots and lots of time apart, the amount of time you spend with women whose main goal is to lead you into temptation…The odds seem to be stacked against you, but the two of you just keep defying them.”

His answering smile faded as Heather’s words echoed in his brain after she had left his office and closed the door behind her.  

\--

At four fifteen, Ned was packing up the items sprawled across his desk, hoping to make his rescheduled flight. He heard his phone vibrate against his desk blotter, and grabbed it when he saw Nancy’s face on the display. “Hey, are you home already? Don’t get started without me. Or, if you do, at least take pictures and send them to me.”

Nancy chuckled, but he could tell that something was going on. “Well, the good news is that I’m still planning to be in Chicago this weekend.”

“And the bad news?” Ned asked, frowning at his phone.  

“Honey, please don’t be mad, but I’m not going to be able to get home tonight. My boss just called, and I need to meet with the team leader here for a debriefing session tonight, even though he and I already spoke this morning and I emailed him my report.” Ned was silent. “Do you hate me?”

"No, I could never hate you, Nan,” Ned told her, the disappointment evident in his tone. “Just wondering who the hell these people are that schedule Friday meetings. Did the rules of the world change and no one told me?” She giggled.  

"I am so, so sorry. You know that I’m dying to see you, and that I’ve been thinking all day about what you’ll do to me when I get home.”

"Nan, my dick has been semi-hard all day,” he growled. Remembering where he was, he quickly looked up and was relieved to find his office door was closed.

“And I’ve been wet since we spoke this morning,” she answered, lowering her voice. “But honey, it’s my boss, and I can’t say no…”

Ned sighed loudly. “I know, I know. Just get home soon, please. I’ll have a surprise waiting for you.”

“Ooh, is it a big surprise?” she cooed.  

“You know it is, baby. So, when do you think you’ll be able to get a flight out?”

“I booked one for seven tomorrow morning. That should get me into Chicago at around nine, so I’ll be home at around ten, ten-thirty?”

“Too long for me to wait,” he told her. “Want me to come pick you up at the airport?”

“That’s sweet of you to offer, Ned, but I don’t want you to have to get up early and drive out to O’Hare. I’m sure you’re exhausted and you already spend enough time at the airport, as it is. I’ll take a shuttle home.”

“Are you sure?” he asked, still clearly disappointed.  

"I am. Besides, I’m going to want you to save up all of your energy for when I am home, okay? Ooh, I have to go,” she said, cutting off whatever he was going to reply. “Now, don’t miss your flight. Love you so much, baby.”  

Ned threw the phone back onto his desk, irritated that he wouldn’t get to see Nancy tonight, after all.   He was tired of their plans being ruined or changed; just once, he’d like to be able to know for sure that they would be able to see each other on a specific day and at a specific time. _You should be used to this by now_ , his inner voice reminded him. _It’s been this way since you started dating her, and it’s only gotten worse…_

He resumed gathering his belongings, hoping that he would still be able to make it to the airport in time.

\--

Nancy tossed her cell phone onto the bed next to her. She had her back propped up against the headboard by several pillows, and she grabbed for her laptop, setting it onto her thighs.  

 _This room looks like it was hit by a bomb,_ she thought ruefully as she surveyed the mess. There were papers and files strewn across the bed, the desk, and the floor; the coffee table was littered with empty soda cans, coffee cups, now-empty takeout containers, and snack food bags.   A few plastic shopping bags were scattered at the edge of the bed - Nancy had taken a walk earlier to clear her head and get rid of that cooped-up feeling, and it had turned into a mini shopping expedition for her weekend home with Ned.  

 _We really need to tip extra-well when we check out of here,_ she reminded herself _._

Suddenly, she heard a knock at the door. Tensing, Nancy reached for her gun, which was stored in the nightstand drawer next to the Gideon bible - an irony that wasn’t lost on her. She relaxed when she heard the short staccato rhythm of knocks that she, Frank and Joe had developed as an extra safety measure, but kept her hand on the gun, just in case it was an imposter at the door. The keycard reader beeped and the door swung open, revealing Frank Hardy’s weary, exhaustion-lined face.  

“Hey, Nan.” He stumbled in, carrying two large pizza boxes and a brown paper bag. He was about to set them down on the coffee table before noticing the mess. Sighing, he placed the boxes and bag onto the desk before hastily clearing a space on table, dumping the trash into the already-overflowing wastebasket. “Damn, we’re gonna have to leave a massive tip when we get out of here, aren’t we?”

Nancy grinned when Frank spoke the words she had been thinking just before his entrance. _That’s what happens when you spend a lot of time with someone_ , she reminded herself. _That’s what used to happen between you and Ned._ “No doubt. Hey, what’s in the bag?” she asked.

“Beer, soda, and ice cream. I hope there’s room in the mini-fridge for the ice cream – I needed some rocky road.” Frank knelt down to the refrigerator and pushed some items aside in the tiny freezer compartment, making a sound of triumph when he was able to wedge in the two pints of ice cream before closing the door.  

“Any leads?” he asked, standing up.   He walked over to the bed, and before Nancy could stop him, picked up the shopping bags to move them over so he could sit down. One of the bags fell to the floor, its contents scattering all over the carpet.  

Nancy flushed crimson when she saw Frank eyeing the items she had purchased. She scrambled off the bed, but not quickly enough. He bent down and picked up the red satin bodysuit with sheer mesh heart-shaped cutouts over each breast and a string thong in back, and the ribbon-tied pink-and-black satin and lace babydoll with its tiny matching thong.   He held the items in his hand as he bent down again to pick up the satin blindfold and restraint set.  

Frank placed everything into her outstretched hands, his eyebrows raised. “Did a little shopping during our break, did we?” he asked dryly.

Nancy wished that a meteor shower or hurricane would suddenly hit New York - anything so that she didn’t have to have this conversation. “Yeah,” she mumbled, hastily stuffing the items back into the bag. “Anyway, I thought I could use them for our cover, in case anyone’s watching us – it would make sense that I’d buy this kind of stuff if we were really a couple staying here in a fancy hotel, right?   Perfect for our image. Hot rendezvous in the city.” She knew she was babbling and couldn’t seem to stop.  

"Right,” Frank agreed solemnly. “Would totally make sense. Nice touch – especially with the restraints and blindfold. They’ll think we’re staying here for a weekend of kinky fun.”

Nancy caught a quick glance at her reflection in the mirror above the dresser, and had no idea it was possible to blush this deeply. “Yeah, well…”

"And, by the way, you’d look incredibly hot in that lingerie,” he told her in a gruff voice.  

 _Or out of it._ From the expression on his face, Nancy knew he was thinking it, but was thankful he didn’t speak the words aloud.  

Just as she was scrambling for a neutral reply, there was another series of knocks at the door just before Joe entered the room. “Hey, guys – any news?”

Frank gave Nancy another quick look before replying to his brother. “Yeah – I just came back from picking up dinner and didn’t have the chance to tell Nan, so you can both hear at once.” He went to sit on the edge of the bed, but before he did, Nancy snatched up the other shopping bag. Frank’s lips twitched upwards, but he didn’t comment as he sat down.  

"Spill, Frank,” Joe commanded him, pulling out the desk chair and twirling it to straddle it.   Nancy was about to sit next to Frank on the bed, but thought better of it and opted for the couch instead.  

Frank smirked at her before continuing. “Well, as you know, the reason that we’re all gathered here, instead of back at my place in Bayport, is because we had that security breach. That bastard Onyx somehow got into my apartment and replaced my Ethernet cable with one of his own – making it nice and easy for him to help himself to all of the information we’ve been gathering.”

“I’ve told you before, Frank – we can’t assume that Onyx is male,” Nancy interjected.  

“Yeah, Frank,” Joe agreed, a mischievous smile on his face. “Don’t tell me you haven’t met some devious females in your time.”

“True," he conceded, grinning when Nancy stuck her tongue out at him. “But just for ease of our discussion here, let’s use male pronouns, shall we? Anyway…Now that we know my place isn’t secure, by any means, I needed to find a way for us to conduct our investigation in a way that didn’t jeopardize our work or our safety.”

"Spit it out, Frank,” Joe told him, propping his chin on his hands.  

"Stop interrupting, and I will,” Frank retorted before continuing. “ _Anyway_ …I picked this place because it’s neutral enough, and Onyx wouldn’t have the time or the opportunity to bug the room with any one of us in it at any given time.   Turning down housekeeping may not have been a smart idea,” he said, pointing to the mess in the room, “but it keeps us safe.

"In addition to ensuring our physical security, I also picked up a few of these little contraptions.” Frank held up a little black box that he plugged into the Ethernet port on his laptop. “Gives us a safe connection and blocks any unwelcome intruders. It also tracks whether someone is trying to hack our connection – and sure enough, I got a hit.“

Nancy and Joe both blinked at that. “Can you tell where it’s coming from?” Joe asked.  

“Not yet, but I’m working on it…In the meantime, we should still be sure to stick to our cover story to explain why we’re here in this nice hotel, in case there are others watching us and trailing our movements.”

"That, thanks to my compromised position, I’m not able to work as an agent anymore, so I’m enjoying my free time by picking up random chicks and banging them in a fancy hotel room?” Joe said, an amused grin on his face. “Dude, easiest assignment ever.”

Nancy laughed when Frank gave his brother the finger. “You’re only pretending, _dude_. If you really do pick up some random chick, we’ll _all_ get screwed, pun intended.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know,” Joe pretended to grumble. “Oh, and there’s the other part of our cover story – how you picked this place so Nan could sneak away from her husband to fool around with you. Hence, the one room and the one bed for the both of you.”

Nancy tried to stop herself from blushing, but didn’t think she was doing a very good job of it. She knew that Frank was thinking of the skimpy lingerie and accessories he had picked up from the floor earlier, and she didn’t even want to look at him.  

“Okay, so now that’s all established, can we get down to work?” she asked brusquely, hoping it would get Frank’s mind off of the things she had bought for her husband’s eyes only. “Here’s the question I keep going over and over in my mind – _why_?”

"That’s your question, Nan? Not who?” Joe asked.  

“Well, of course, but I feel like the why of it will lead us to the who.”

"Okay, so let’s play with that idea for a while,” Joe suggested. “Someone who has it in for all agents? All agents who work on particular kinds of cases?”

"Too broad,” Frank told him.  

“Okay, fine – what’s your big idea, brother?” Joe challenged him.  

“Maybe he’s someone who’s bitter and pissed and now has a grudge?”

"Oh, well, that narrows it down, Frank. Thanks for your great insight.” Joe’s tone was sarcastic.

Nancy waved her hand dismissively at them. “Here’s a crazy idea – what if Onyx is after you?”

“Huh?” Joe said.

"I mean,” Nancy replied patiently, “whoever this is seems to particularly have it in for the Hardy Boys - and Joe, you seem like you could be the bigger target.”

Frank looked up, puzzled. “Go on, Nan.”

“Well, Onyx appears to be focusing ninety-nine percent of his attention on the two of you, right? Tagging your computer, Frank. Killing that girl and putting her into your bed in Paris. Setting up Joe so that he seems like a double agent, thus putting his life in danger. Trailing the both of you. I mean, I’ve been impacted because I have a connection to the both of you, but it seems like he considers me more like collateral damage, don’t you think? He hasn’t come directly after me.”  

Joe nodded, but Frank still seemed skeptical. “Not yet, anyway.”

“No, but he’s really kept the two of you in his sights. If I were one of his main targets, don’t you think he would’ve already gone after me in some way?”

“Unless they have and you don’t know it, Nan,” Frank countered.

Nancy was chilled at that thought, but kept going with her theory. “But everything he’s done so far has been so overt, Frank. Nothing subtle about murdering someone and dumping her into your room for you to find, or spreading false intel about your brother, right? So why would he be planning sneak attacks when it comes to me?” she argued.

“To throw you off guard?” Joe suggested.  

“Maybe, but it still doesn’t feel right,” Nancy insisted, standing up to stretch her legs. “I really believe that one or both of you are his targets, guys. Plus, it could be some kind of a government thing – you guys work way more of those kinds of cases than I do.”

“True,” Frank mused. “So, I guess we start digging deeper at the cases that Joe and I have touched over the last five years, and maybe also keep an eye on the ones that you’ve worked on with us, Nan, just in case.”

“It’s a better plan than just flailing around in the dark, like we have,” Joe admitted. “After all, the names we’ve come up with so far haven’t gotten us anywhere – they’ve either retired to live in straw huts in far-flung places, or they’re six feet under. This, at least, gives us a new place to look.”

"Yep,” Frank confirmed.   “Nice job, Drew.”

"Drew Nickerson,” Nancy confirmed, trying to sound nonchalant as she corrected him. Somehow, it seemed important at that particular moment to remind him that she was married. To someone else.  

\--

Later that night, Nancy stood up and stretched from her hunched-over position over her laptop on the bed, truly exhausted.   They had been combing through old files and records for hours and still had very little to show for it. Joe had switched on the clock radio earlier, and she found herself singing along to the hit songs as she worked without even realizing it.  

"Wow, those voice lessons sound like they’re really working,” Frank teased her from his spot on the floor. It was the first personal comment he had made since the lingerie incident.  

"Hush,” she told him, making a face at him over the top of her computer. “My teacher said that she’s very impressed by my progress.” Nancy got up and padded across the room, cursing lightly when she found that all of the Diet Coke was gone.  

"Yeah, sorry, Nan – I finished the last one a while ago,” Frank told her, not looking up from the files he was examining from his spot on the floor. “Want me to go out and pick up some more?”

“Nah,” Nancy told him dismissively. “I can go.”

“It’s no trouble, Nan.” Frank got to his feet, dusting off his jeans.  

“No, I’ll go get it from that convenience store across the street. I want to make a call, anyway.” She picked up her purse and headed for the door.   “You okay to stay here until Joe gets back from his room?”

“Yeah, but…Are we cool, Nan? That thing I said before…”   He let the sentence linger, his face flushing as she met his gaze dead-on.

“Was inappropriate and out of line?” she finished, a hint of amusement on her face.

"Yeah,” he nodded. “I’m sorry.”

"It’s okay – we’re all exhausted and stressed. Promise me that you won’t let it happen again, and we’ll be cool.” Her tone was light, but she knew he could tell she was serious.

“Deal,” Frank told her, sounding relieved.

"Good. Now, let me get that soda – want anything else while I’m out?” When Frank shook his head, she walked to the door and opened it, carefully shutting it behind her. She heard him slide the deadbolt home from the other side of the door.

Walking down the hallway a few steps, she pulled her cell phone out of her purse and dialed Ned’s number, leaning against the wall while she waited for him to pick up. It was almost two in the morning in New York, which meant it was nearly one in Chicago – late, considering that Ned had worked a long week and was probably still adjusting to the time zone change. She just needed to hear his voice, though – what had happened with Frank had caught her off-guard.  

\--

“Hello? Who’s this?” Ned mumbled into his phone. The ringing had woken him out of a deep sleep. He had reached out an arm to grab his phone off the nightstand and place it to his ear, his head still under the covers.   He had been disappointed to come home to an empty house - even though Nancy had warned him that she wouldn’t make it back until tomorrow, a part of him had still hoped that she would surprise him in a tiny little excuse for a nightgown when he walked in the door. After eating his delivered Chinese food, he had settled into bed to watch ESPN and had fallen asleep with the TV still on.  

"Hey, baby! I’m sorry, did I wake you?” Nancy asked, sounding hesitant. “I can hang up – I mean, I’ll be seeing you tomorrow, anyway…”

"No, no, don’t hang up,” he told her, sitting up and letting the covers fall to his waist.   He fumbled for the remote control and turned off the TV. “But it’s late in Boston – is everything okay? Are you all right?” Suddenly, he was wide awake and panicking that she was calling to tell him she was hurt or in trouble.  

“No, everything’s fine! I just wanted to hear your voice before I go to sleep.”

Ned felt his lips turn upward in a grin. “Well, I’m glad you called. How was your meeting with your team leader?”

Nancy paused for a second before replying, making Ned suspect that she had been less than truthful with him during their earlier conversation. “Oh, it was fine,” she said dismissively. “He just wanted to make sure that there was no one else in that office included in the embezzlement scheme, and to thank me for taking care of it so quickly. So, you never told me - what are you going to do to me when I get home tomorrow?”  

The fact that she had changed the subject so quickly led Ned to believe that he had guessed correctly about her lying. He would have to address it, but he was way too tired now to start what was likely to turn into an argument over the phone. “I won’t be able to do much if you don’t let me get some sleep, gorgeous,” he replied instead, making his tone light.  

“Oh, you clearly underestimate yourself,” she teased back. “But I’ll let you go back to sleep. Love you, Ned.”

"Love you, too, sweetheart. Safe flight.” After hanging up, Ned placed his cell phone on the night table and was sound asleep within five minutes.  

\--

The next morning, Nancy launched herself into her seat on the plane, still huffing and puffing slightly from the exertion of running through JFK airport to make it to the gate on time. She, Frank, and Joe had been up all night digging through their old case histories, and she felt the exhaustion catching up to her. After promising to return to New York late tomorrow night, she rushed out the door and caught a cab, barely making it to the airport in time to catch her flight. She hated to leave them while they were tracking what her instincts told her was a hot lead, but she hated the idea of cancelling on Ned even more.

Nancy buckled her seatbelt and settled back into her seat, yawning and stretching. She hoped that there weren’t any crying babies on the plane so that she could get in a quick nap before arriving in Chicago. Just as her eyes were about to close, she heard and felt movement in the seat next to her. Stifling a groan, she saw a woman about her age holding a baby in a pink sweatsuit.

"Sorry for knocking into you, miss," the woman apologized hastily. “It’s just tough to juggle all of this stuff, and then we were in the wrong seat…”

Nancy made a dismissive gesture. “No problem.” She hoped that her dismay at seeing the baby didn’t show on her face.  

"I know that people see babies on flights and freak out, but Amelia’s an experienced little flyer, and she’s usually fine. I gave her some medicine to counteract the ear popping, so she should be good to go.”

Nancy smiled as the baby reached out a pudgy hand to grasp a lock of her reddish-blonde hair. “No, Amelia,” the woman corrected, removing the baby’s hand. “She has very pretty hair, but you can’t touch it. Sorry,” she apologized again. “It’s her new thing – she’s fascinated by long hair.”

"It’s okay,” Nancy told the woman, and it was true. The baby had a head full of dark hair and bright blue eyes that darted all over the plane, taking in her surroundings with great curiosity. For a minute, Nancy imagined that the baby she and Ned would have together would look exactly like Amelia – the thought warmed her, instead of creating panic, like it usually did.   “She’s absolutely adorable. How old?”

"Thanks – she’s eight months,” Amelia’s mother responded, beaming at the compliment. “Do you have any kids?”

Nancy shook her head. “No, not yet. My husband and I have kind of crazy careers – he works during the week in L.A. and I travel a lot, so we meet up at home in Chicago on the weekends. Or, we try to, at least. Sometimes our plans don’t always work out.” _Or, most of the time, lately,_ she thought to herself ruefully.

"Wow, that must be tough,” the woman sympathized. “You must have a really strong marriage to make it work.”

Nancy sighed, swirling her rings around her left finger with the pad of her thumb.   “We’ve been in love since we were teenagers, and neither of us could imagine not being together.” At least, Nancy couldn’t imagine it; she didn’t quite know where her husband stood. “It’s hard – believe me, it’s hard – but he’s worth it.”

“That’s so sweet. Sometimes it’s hard enough to stay together, and my husband and I live in the same house seven days a week!” They both laughed, and the sound made Amelia join in.   “You think it’s funny too, don’t you, baby girl?” the woman cooed, planting a kiss on the baby’s chubby cheek.  

"By the way, I’m Nancy.”

"I’m Jane,” the woman responded, “And you’ve already met Amelia.”

Waving at the baby, Nancy was charmed when she was rewarded with a toothless grin. “Hi, Amelia!   It’s nice to meet you!” The baby burbled in reply.  

“You know, I just realized that we interrupted your nap. We can just keep ourselves amused and let you sleep, can’t we, Amelia?” Jane grabbed one of the baby’s hands and kissed it.  

“No, it’s okay. I may just take a nap when I get home, in spite of my husband’s other plans for me.” Nancy raised her eyebrows suggestively, and Jane chuckled.  

"Yeah, they always have those kinds of plans, don’t they?” Jane sighed.  

"Well, when you’re apart for long stretches of time, that kind of thing becomes a bigger priority,” Nancy admitted.  

"I guess it must. That whole, ‘Not tonight, I have a headache’ excuse doesn’t fly, right?”

Nancy chuckled. “Nope.”

“Well, we won’t disturb you any longer.” Jane withdrew a soft fabric book from her diaper bag and distracted Amelia with it.  

Hearing Amelia’s soft cooing in her ear, Nancy felt herself drift off to sleep within a few minutes. A jolt to the plane and the sound of the baby’s startled cry awoke her a while later.  

"What’s happening?” she murmured, looking around.

Jane’s face was tinged with a look of fear. “I don’t know if it’s turbulence, or what, but Amelia and I do not like it.” Jane stroked her hand up and down the now-howling baby’s back. “It’s okay, sweetheart. I know,” she murmured consolingly.

They felt another series of hard bumps and the other passengers began sitting upright and looking around. The flight attendants hurriedly pushed their carts to the back of the plane and took their seats.  

After more bumps, they suddenly heard a loud noise coming from the bottom of the plane. Jane gripped the arm rest with one hand as she continued to soothe a screaming Amelia with the other.   Nancy touched her arm reassuringly. “I’m sure everything’s fine,” she lied, her mind racing. _Ned_ , she thought achingly. _He doesn’t even know I’m on this flight because I lied to him about being in New York. I could die and he’d never even know it._

Nancy reached into her bag and turned on her cell phone, praying she’d be able to get enough reception to call him or send a text. As she waited for the phone to turn on, the pilot made an announcement.  

“Ladies and gentlemen, this is your pilot speaking. We seem to be experiencing some mechanical difficulties, so we’ll need to make an emergency stop in Pittsburgh in a few minutes.” The cabin filled with groans from the passengers, Nancy’s included. “When we get to our new destination, please go to the gate and our agents can assist you with booking new flights to Chicago. In the meantime, we’ll ask all of you to remain buckled and in your seats, and to be aware of the emergency procedures, should we need to use them. We thank you for your patience.”

Nancy was frustrated when she couldn’t get a signal on her phone. She closed her eyes and began to pray. _Please, please, let me get home safe to Ned,_ she beseeched, tears pooling behind her eyelids.   _I won’t lie to him again. Just please, let me come home to him. And if not…then, God, I hope he knew how much I loved him, how he was everything to me._

She opened her eyes and fished two tissues out of her bag, silently handing one to a sniffling Jane.  

"Thank you," Jane whispered. “I couldn’t get cell reception, either. My husband…”

“I know,” Nancy sighed. “And my husband doesn’t have my flight information and didn’t know I was in New York, so…”

Jane reached out to pat her hand. “Well, then you’ll call him from Pittsburgh and tell him that you’re safe and that you love him, won’t you?”

Nancy nodded. “Do you need help with her when we land?” she asked, pointing to Amelia.  

The other woman managed to smile at her. “That’s sweet of you to offer, but I can manage.”

"If you change your mind, let me know.”

Nancy nervously drummed her fingers on her armrest as the pilot began his descent to Pittsburgh International Airport, the plane continuing to buck and make loud noises the entire time. When they finally touched down with a hard landing on the runway, Nancy let out the breath she didn’t know she was holding and joined the other passengers in their applause.  

Jane turned to Nancy and gave her an impulsive hug, a still-wailing Amelia in her arms. “We’re safe!”

Nancy returned the hug and patted the baby’s back. “Thank goodness. Are you sure you don’t need help?”

“No, we’ll be fine. You just get a flight back to Chicago and talk to your husband, okay?” Jane rose and both she and Amelia waved goodbye to Nancy, then disappeared down the aisle of the plane.

Nancy stood up slowly, waiting for others to pass by before getting out of her row and taking her carry-on luggage from the overhead bin. She left the plane and followed the ramp that connected to the airport, where she waded through the sea of people to sit down in the gate area. She pulled her phone out of her purse and dialed Ned again, grateful when she was able to connect this time. Nancy didn’t quite know what she was going to say, but she had to talk to him.  

The call connected to his voicemail, and Nancy let out a loud groan of frustration. _At least you got to hear his voice_ , she reminded herself. “Hey, baby, it’s me,” she said, trying to keep her voice steady, when all she really wanted to do was sob. “I just wanted to let you know that my flight was unexpectedly re-routed to Pittsburgh. There was a problem with the plane, but everything’s fine,” she hurriedly assured him. “I need to find another flight home. I just wanted to call you first and tell you that I’ll be late. I love you so, so much, and I can’t wait to see you, Ned.” She disconnected and took deep breaths to prevent herself from breaking down.  

Nancy kept waiting for her phone to ring while she waited in an incredibly long line at the ticket counter for a new reservation. Her pulse leapt as her ringtone sounded while she was waiting at the gate for her new flight. She was disappointed, however, when she saw Frank’s number appear on the display. Sighing, she answered the call and reassured him that she was safe and on her way home.

An hour later, Nancy boarded her new plane, still without receiving a call from Ned. This time, the flight was uneventful, for which Nancy was grateful. When the plane landed in Chicago, she didn’t even bother finding an airport shuttle; she hopped into the first cab she could find and was incredibly relieved when it pulled up in front of the house. By this time, it was almost three in the afternoon, and she was surprised that Ned had never returned her call.  

After paying the fare and wheeling her luggage up the front path, she fumbled in her bag to retrieve her keys. She opened the front door, and heard Ned’s footsteps pounding down the stairs.  

"Nan? God, I am glad to see you!” he exclaimed, enveloping her in his arms in a huge hug. “I tried to call you earlier but you must have been in the air. I’ve been worried sick about you, baby. Is everything okay?” He pulled away from her and scanned her face. “If anything had happened to you, sweetheart…” He hugged her again and stroked her hair.  

Nancy finally let out the dam of tears she had been holding in for the last several hours. “I’m fine,” she sobbed onto his shoulder. “I just…I was so scared, and then I kept thinking about you…I prayed that I’d be able to come home to you and if I couldn’t…”

“Don’t, baby,” he soothed, still running his hands up and down her hair. “Don’t even go there. I can’t even think about that. You’re here now, all in one piece, and that’s all that matters. You must be exhausted.”

Nancy nodded, enjoying the feel of his arms around her. She felt at peace for the first time all day. For the first time since she had seen him last, if she were honest with herself. All of a sudden, she remembered that she still owed him the truth about where she had been. She briefly debated holding off on confessing until later, but knew that she should come clean.  

"Ned, there’s something I have to tell you,” she murmured into his ear, then reluctantly pulled out of his arms to see his face.  

"I think I know what it is.” His expression was more than a little pained. “Hardy called me. He had heard about your flight’s emergency landing on the local news in New York, and wanted me to know. Plus, I had a feeling that something was up with your story about Boston when you called me last night.”

Nancy hung her head, disappointed in herself for not telling him the truth and for causing that look of hurt to appear on his face. “Baby, I am so sorry for lying to you. It’s just that…”

"That you didn’t want to get into the whole Frank thing again – I know, I get it.” Ned finished her sentence, sighing. “But I felt like a fucking moron for not knowing where my wife was. And I’m sure he was _thrilled_ to know something about you that I didn’t, Nan.”

Her heart ached, knowing that Ned was probably right about Frank’s reaction. “Baby, I hate keeping things from you. I just didn’t want to fight – our time together on the phone or in person is so precious, and I didn’t feel like having the same argument over and over.”

“Do you think I enjoy it?” he asked calmly, his eyebrows raised. “I already feel like I have to share you with him, and then this kind of shit happens…”

“I know, but this Onyx thing…Baby, it’s getting worse. Now he’s framing Joe Hardy, and Joe’s in serious danger until we can catch the real bad guy, and Frank’s terrified of what could happen to his little brother…” Her words came out in a jumble and she began wringing her hands in distress.

"And you don’t think I would’ve understood that if you had just explained it to me? Instead of lying about being in Boston and about tracking down some old lady thief? Sometimes you don’t give me enough credit, Nan.” He shook his head, his disappointment in her still evident.

“I know, I know. But things have been okay between us lately – better, anyway - and I didn’t want to stir up all the old stuff again.” She wiped at her damp cheeks with the back of her hand.  

“I get that, but what happened today…Baby, you could have been in real danger and I never would have even known about it! As much as I hate to have these words come out of my mouth, thank God that Hardy had the sense to pick up the phone and call me. If not…”

"I’m so sorry, Ned,” she whispered, reaching out to grip his hands in her own. “I never meant to hurt you. I just wanted to avoid another fight.”

"Just please promise me that you’ll never lie to me like that again,” Ned told her, his voice rough. “The fact that you’re here and alive is all that matters, really, but I need you to tell me the truth, Nan. If we start lying to each other, then we’re really in trouble.”

“I promise,” she pledged, squeezing his hands.  

Ned stepped forward and gathered her in his arms again. “Well, you’ve had a really rough day, baby, so I’ll leave you alone for now. Why don’t you head upstairs for a nap? You look exhausted.” He brushed the sides of his fingers against the deep purple shadows under her eyes.  

 “I am,” Nancy admitted. “I didn’t get any sleep last night, and my plan of napping on the plane didn’t exactly work out. Will you join me? You don’t have to stay, but it would be really good to have your arms around me while I fall asleep, okay?”

He chuckled. “Of course, baby. After everything that’s happened, holding you for a little while would be good for me, too. Come here, gorgeous.” He bent down and tucked her knees under his forearm, then carried her upstairs to their bedroom.  

Ned gently set her onto her feet in front of the bed. “Do you want to get undressed?” She nodded mutely, and he slowly removed her clothing and underwear, then quickly stripped out of his own clothes. When they were both naked, he pulled back the covers and gently pushed her into bed. He settled the comforter on top of them and wrapped his arms around her, his face buried in her hair.  

\--

Two hours later, Nancy awoke to find fading sunlight filtering through the shades of their bedroom window. She was still in Ned’s arms, and could hear his slow, even breathing from behind her back. Sitting up, she pushed her mussed hair out of her eyes and stretched.  

“Baby?” he murmured.  

“It’s okay, sweetheart, go back to sleep,” she whispered.  

His eyes still closed, Ned reached out for her and pulled her down to his chest, folding her into his arms once again. “Don’t want to sleep,” he told her, brushing his lips against the crown of her head.  

Nancy grinned. “No? Then, what do you want to do?” she teased him.   One of Ned’s hands slipped down to cup her naked breast, and she shivered when his thumb grazed the nipple. “Mmm, that’s nice. I want you to do that, too.” Ned let his other hand slide over her ass, and he began moving it back and forth.  

"I missed you so much, Nan,” he told her softly.  

"I missed you too, Ned. Today, when I thought for a second that I might never see you again…” She felt herself getting choked up.

"Shhhh,” he soothed. “You’re here now, and you’re fine. I need to be close to you right now, as close as I can be.” Ned opened his eyes and held her gaze.

She nodded, unable to speak when she saw the depths of warmth and love in his brown eyes. Ned gently pushed her onto her back and raised her arms above her head, caging both of her wrists with one of his hands and propping himself up on his knees. He was barely using any pressure - Nancy could have broken free if she’d really wanted to, but she had no desire to do so.

Nancy sighed when he began running his lips down her face and neck, showering her with little nibbles and licks and kisses. He stroked his free hand over her breasts, his touch feather-light. Ned ran the backs of his fingertips over the outer edges, stopping just before he got to her nipples, then brushed his flattened palm against the firm pink buds. Nancy moaned with pleasure and fluidly arched her back as he moved his palm in slow circles.  

Ned continued to move his hand in a circular motion as he made his way down her torso, stroking against her ribcage, her navel, and her soft belly. He leaned down and slipped one erect nipple between his lips, sucking lightly.  

"So good,” she whispered. “That feels so good.”

She gasped as he gently bit down and continued to suckle at her breast. Disappointed when he let go, Nancy was relieved when he focused his attention on her other breast.   The feel of his mouth and hands on her bare skin caused her to open her legs wide and arch up again.  

"Oh, I’ll get there, gorgeous, but I need to take my time, okay?” he murmured against her nipple. “We always rush, but today I need to savor you.”  

Ned continued to tease her erect nipples with his tongue, teeth and lips for a while as his hands strayed further down her body. When he brushed against the small strip of hair at her mound, Nancy sighed.   He ran one finger against the hair before moving it down further to tease her inner lips.   She slid her legs ever further apart, giving him better access.

He took the hint, slipping his thumb against the tight bud of her clit and gently rubbing it back and forth before sliding two fingers inside of her.   The feeling of his hand against her wet, sensitive flesh had her making soft cries of satisfaction.  

Ned kept stroking her tenderly, and she could feel all of the tension and fear she had experienced that day melting away. When he moved his mouth to where his hand was touching her, she gasped at the feel of his tongue and fingers moving over her sex.  

Just when Nancy thought she couldn’t take any more, Ned slipped his cock between her open thighs and gently thrust himself inside her. She closed her eyes in pleasure.

"No, I need you to open your eyes while I’m making love to you, Nancy. I need you to look at me.” Her eyes popped open, and she started to cry at the intensity of his gaze. “Baby, I could have lost you today and not even known it! What would I have done if I had lost you?” His voice was anguished as he slid in and out of her warmth.  

The tears flowed down her cheeks. “Ned, the only thing I could think about, the only person I could think about was you,” she sobbed. “I felt so horrible about you not knowing where I was, and I prayed that you would know how much you meant to me if something happened to me!” The thickness of the tears in her throat and the movement of his thrusts caused her words to hitch.  

"Baby, I know. I know, and I love you more than anything or anyone. I know we’re apart too damn much, but you are everything to me,” he told her in a low tone, angling so that he went deeper. “Never, ever forget that, Nancy.”  

Nancy shook her head as she rose up to meet his thrusts. “I won’t. The plane kept jerking and making horrible noises, and all I could think about you – when we first met, our first kiss, the first time we made love, your proposal, our wedding, holidays with our families, our time in Paris…  

"Then I thought about the little things, like what it’s like to see your gorgeous face after we’ve been apart, how you make my coffee special for me on weekends, how you sometimes send me funny little love messages to make me smile, the hundreds of times we’ve been together like this in our bed...The thought of not having this again…” She swallowed, unable to finish her sentence.  

Ned clamped his mouth to hers and slipped his tongue between her lips while he continued to make love to her slowly, sweetly.   “When… _he_ told me and I had to wait to make sure you landed safely, I thought about all of that stuff, too.  

"How you wear my favorite blue dress when you want me to do something I don’t want to, how you came to L.A. to surprise me with dirty pictures and my favorite casserole, how you jump into my arms when we see each other on weekends, the hundreds of times we’ve been together like this in our bed…When I thought about losing this, losing you…Nan, I wanted to die.” He kissed her again, and the force of his mouth was almost brutal against hers.  

She moaned as he increased his speed. “The woman sitting next to me had this beautiful baby girl, and all I could think of was how much she looked like the baby I pictured us having someday…It made me so sad to think that we could’ve never had the chance…”

"Did she have your gorgeous blue eyes?” he murmured before kissing her again.  

Nancy managed a watery laugh. “She had blue eyes and beautiful dark hair like yours – she was perfect. I want that with you – a perfect little baby that’s half you and half me – and I don’t want to wait.”

His smile was wide as he thrust in and out of her. “I know we’ve talked about having a family and about where we want to raise our kids, but maybe we start trying soon?”  

She nodded. “That sounds really good. I love you, Ned Nickerson. I love you, and I always will.” The tears were flowing freely down her cheeks, even as she felt her climax start to build.

“I love you, Nancy Drew Nickerson. You are the best thing that ever happened to me.” By this time, he was pistoning his hips at a frantic pace, and he slipped one hand between them to stroke her clit.  

Nancy started to cry out incoherently. “Mmmm, you make me feel so good. God, this is so incredible. I miss this so much when I’m not with you. I miss you,” she gasped.  

“I love fucking you, but I also love making love to you,” he told her, working his hand against her even more roughly.  

“Oh, God, please don’t stop, Ned! Mmmm - oh, God!” Nancy was shrieking now and she didn’t care. The headboard was slamming up against the wall and she could feel the perspiration of his body against her.  

"Say my name, baby, say it,” he growled. “Please – I love you so much, and I need to hear it.”

"Oh, Ned, oh baby! I love you! Mmmm, please. Please!” With one more slide of his thumb against her clit, Nancy started to scream as she exploded into orgasm.  

When the waves began to subside, she felt Ned allow himself his own orgasm, and she moaned as she felt him release inside of her, her sensitive flesh still throbbing weakly against him.  

Ned collapsed on top of her, finally releasing her hands, and she stroked them down his damp back. “I love you,” she whispered.  

He nuzzled her neck. “I love you too, Nan. Hey, were you serious about that whole baby conversation?” he asked cautiously.

Nancy smiled. “Surprised you, did I? I was serious, though; were you?”

Ned nodded, and she could feel his mouth break into a smile against her skin. “So, let’s start talking seriously about it sometime soon. Maybe things will be more stable between us, and we’ll have…worked things out.   In the meantime, we can get in a lot of practicing.”

Giggling, she ran her fingertips down his spine. “Yeah, because we’re not already perfect at this?”

 “Well, you wouldn’t want us to lose our skills when it’s most important, right?” he chuckled.

She stretched lazily, enjoying the feel of his weight on top of her. “Mmm, what time is it, anyway?”

"Don’t know, don’t care,” Ned murmured, his face still buried in the crook of her neck.  

"Shit, it’s after six!” she gasped, catching sight of the clock on her bedside table. “We’re supposed to meet everyone at eight!”

Ned groaned loudly, still not moving. “Do not even tell me that you still plan on going to that karaoke shit, Nan. After the day we’ve had, I think it’ll be okay if we cancel.”  

 “But it’ll be so much fun, Ned! After the day we’ve had, I think it’s okay for us to let loose and have a good time!”

He finally raised his head, glaring down at her with one eyebrow cocked. “Um, I planned on us doing that here, in this bed, not with a group of people.”

"Come on, please?” she pleaded with him. “It’ll be fun!”   When Ned continued to stare at her, she threaded her fingers through his hair. “Please? For me?” she pouted.  

Ned sighed loudly. “God, I can’t ever say no to you, can I? Fine, but we are **_not_** staying all night. We’ll go, have a few drinks, socialize a little, and then come home, get naked again, and fuck. A lot.”

“Deal,” she nodded her agreement. “Now, let’s take a shower, where you can spend a lot of time soaping me up to make sure I’m extra-clean.”

\--

After a long, leisurely shower where Ned thoroughly enjoyed pinning Nancy up against the wall and bringing her to orgasm with his mouth and hands and then his cock, they toweled off and got dressed.  

Ned couldn’t help but grin when she walked out wearing the blue dress. “Talk about bringing out the big guns, babe.”

“Didn’t you say something about me wearing this when I try to get you to do something you don’t want to?” she pointed out with a sly grin.  

“And what’s underneath it?”  

Nancy winked. “That…is for me to know and you to find out later. I was serious when I told you that I planned on getting tipsy and letting you do all kinds of wicked stuff to me, you know,” she told him, almost conversationally, as she put on the earrings he had given her the first Christmas after they were married.  

"Thank God,” he replied.  

"Did you call a cab, baby?”

He nodded, slipping into his shoes. “Um, question – are Mark and Stephen gonna stare at me like they do every time we’re with them? You know I’m not the least bit prejudiced or homophobic or shit like that, but it kinda freaks me out, babe.”

She chuckled, stepping into her black platform stiletto heels. “What can I say? They find you _very_ sexy. Can’t say I disagree with them.”

“Well, it’s a compliment, I know, but still. It would be equally as creepy if it were a woman doing it, Nan. I mean, except for you – you can stare at me all you want, baby.”

"Why, thanks, darling.”   She lightly chucked him under the chin before walking to the dresser to spray herself with his favorite perfume. “They are jealous at hell that I get to fuck you and see you naked, but I keep reminding them you are as straight as they come.”

"God, that’s not helping, Nan.” Nancy laughed when he groaned.  

“You’ll be fine. I’ll make them promise to behave. Now, let’s go – the cab should be here any minute, and the sooner we get there, the sooner we can leave.”

Ned brightened at that. “Good point. Let’s go.” He grabbed her arm and steered her down the steps, her laughter floating down the hallway.  

\--

The bar was mobbed, but Nancy and Ned had no trouble finding their friends. Bess and her boyfriend Nathan waved frantically and Bess greeted them both with enthusiastic hugs. “Oooh, it is _so_ good to see you guys! We’ve missed you!”

Ned hugged her back, smiling. “Yeah, we’ve missed you guys, too,” he admitted, looping his arm around his wife’s waist.  

“So, how’s L.A.? Have you seen any movie stars?” Bess gushed.  

Grinning, he waited for the explosion of excitement that his next words would bring. “Actually, my agency is working on an ad campaign with Drew Barrymore, and one with David Beckham, and I got to meet them both.”

Bess’s mouth actually dropped open at that, and Nancy cocked her head to one side, her expression curious. “I didn’t know that,” she told him, and Ned couldn’t tell if she was hurt or annoyed by it.

“Oh my God, oh my God!” Bess squealed. “What were they like? Oh my God! Was Drew cool? And David Beckham! Oh God, what I wouldn’t do to see those abs up close and in person!”

“Um, Bess, I’m right here,” Nathan reminded her, his expression one of amusement.  

“Come on, like you wouldn’t be acting the same way if we were talking about Scarlett Johansson. _Please_. So, Ned, tell me what they were like!”

Bess continued chattering away as she and Ned left to get drinks while Nancy and Nathan waited at the bar for the rest of their group.  

"You okay, Nancy?” Nathan asked, watching her watch Ned from afar.  

"Huh? Oh, yeah, sure,” Nancy shook her head as if it to clear it. “Sorry – it’s been a long day and I’m still kind of tired.”

“I’ll bet it just slipped his mind," Nathan offered.

“What’s that?” she asked distractedly.

“You know, him not telling you about meeting David Beckham and Drew Barrymore. I mean, you guys are so busy and so tired, he probably just forgot, you know? I’m sure it’s not a big deal.”

Nancy smiled at him gratefully, touched that he would try to make her feel better. “I’m sure you’re right, Nathan.”   Before she could say more, George and her date appeared, followed soon by Mike and Jan and Mark and Stephen.  

\--

A few hours later, Ned had to admit that he was having more fun than he thought he would. It was nice to have time with their friends; in the past, it would have been something they would have taken for granted.  

Nancy was also clearly enjoying herself: her face was flushed from a combination of the drinks she had consumed and the pleasure she was getting from being with their group. She looked so beautiful that he just wanted to keep staring at her so he could trap the image in his mind and call it up when they were apart again.  

She excused herself from their table to go to the restroom, and Ned found himself missing her. After what had almost happened to her today, he hated letting her out of his sight, even for a minute. _Stop being stupid_ , he told himself. _You have all of tonight and tomorrow with her. Hardy said that he’d let her delay her return to New York until Monday morning and you’re taking the red-eye back to L.A., so you still have almost 24 hours._

 _Hardy,_ he thought to himself, hoping that the sneer he was mentally making didn’t show on his face. _That bastard is still coming between you and Nancy, even after all of this time. She lied to you to be with him. I wonder what else she’s been lying to me about._

Lost in his thoughts, he let the conversations of their group go on around him while he took a sip of his beer.  

“Hey, look!” Bess cried, pointing towards the front of the room.  

"Hi!” Ned was startled to see Nancy standing on the stage in front of the pianos, microphone in hand. “Is everyone having fun tonight?”

"Yeah!” the crowd roared.  

“It just got better now that I saw you, baby!” a drunken voice called from the left side of the room.   Ned made a face at the come-on while everyone in the room laughed.  

”Well, that’s very sweet, but I’m spoken for. In fact, that’s why I’m standing up here.” Nancy smoothed her strawberry blonde hair in a gesture that told Ned she was nervous. “You see, I am married to a sweet, kind, generous, loving, affectionate man, and he also happens to be drop-dead gorgeous and ridiculously sexy. Stand up, baby,” she cooed, looking directly at him.  

Ned shook his head, but their friends at the table began egging him on. Mike led a chant of “Stand up, stand up, stand up!” until the entire bar took up the chorus. He saw Nancy point directly at him, and someone trained the spotlight in his direction.   Shrugging, Ned reluctantly got out of his chair, grimacing when the crowd began cheering louder.  

“There he is!” Nancy beamed. “See, wasn’t I right about how sexy he is?” A series of catcalls and wolf whistles followed her question. Ned thought he heard some coming from Mark and Stephen, but didn’t look over at them. “I saw you bachelorettes checking him out earlier, but stay away – he is _all mine._ Ooh, and he’s _pissssseddd_ ,” she added, catching the look on Ned’s face. “As it was, I had to drag him here tonight,” Nancy confided to the crowd. “Our jobs require us to be apart a lot – a lot - and he just wanted me all to himself."

She continued after the chorus of _awww_ s subsided. “Anyway…He’s always the one who makes grand gestures and public declarations; me, I’ve always been the one who doesn’t always like to talk about her feelings. But I just want him to know - hell, I want _everyone_ to know - how much I love him and how amazing he is. He’s just a good, good man, and there is nothing hotter than that – am I right, ladies? I have no idea how I got lucky enough to be the one he loves, but I am so damn grateful that he picked me. He is everything anyone could ever want in a husband…Plus, he’s _incredible_ in bed!”  

The crowd went wild at that, and Ned could feel himself start to grin, despite his embarrassment.   He always found her incredibly sexy when she took control of a situation, and this time was no exception.  

“So, because I wanted him to feel appreciated and loved, I’ve prepared a couple of songs to sing for you guys tonight. One of my old clients was a voice teacher, so I’ve been taking a few lessons here and there. Oh, and I had to get wicked drunk tonight to get the courage to do this, so be nice, okay?”  

Nancy took a long swallow of the drink she had set on top of one of the pianos. “By the way, this is called ‘Sex on the Piano,’” she told everyone, pointing to the glass. “Hey, baby, that’s something we haven’t tried yet, have we?” she asked, giving Ned a coy look.  

When the crowd stopped hooting, she resumed speaking. “The first song I’ve picked is a serious one. I really want my husband to know how I feel about him, and I think this says it all.” Nancy sat on top of the piano and began singing in a voice that mostly stayed on pitch and in tune.

_Whenever I'm alone with you,_  
You make me feel like I am home again.  
Whenever I'm alone with you,   
You make me feel like I am whole again.  
Whenever I'm alone with you,  
You make me feel like I am young again.  
Whenever I'm alone with you,  
You make me feel like I am fun again.  
However far away,   
I will always love you.   
However long I stay,   
I will always love you.   
Whatever words I say,   
I will always love you;   
I will always love you.  


As he listened to her sing the lyrics to him, Ned felt his heart swell with love for her. The fact that she was telling him how she felt in front of the world was no small gesture on her part, and he was touched that she took the time out of her hectic schedule to learn the song and rehearse it. When it was over, he was the first one on his feet, whistling and cheering his praise. He blew her a kiss, and Nancy wore a pleased expression on her face.  

“Did all of you like that?” she called out. When everyone cheered, she pointed to Ned. “Most importantly, did you like that, baby?”

He nodded enthusiastically. “Amazing, baby!” he yelled. “I love you!”

The audience _awww_ ed again, and Nancy blew him a kiss back. “Okay, so now that I got all sentimental, I have one more song I want to sing. And, this one? Is _anything_ but mushy, baby.”  

_He was a fast machine_  
He kept his motor clean   
He was the best damn man I had ever seen   
  
He had the sightless eyes   
Telling me no lies   
Knockin' me out with those American thighs   
Taking more than his share   
Had me fighting for air   
He told me to come but I was already there   
'Cause the walls start shaking   
The earth was quaking   
My mind was aching   
And we were making it and you -   
Shook me all night long   
Yeah you shook me all night long  

The group at their table laughed at the grin of pride and delight on Ned’s face as Nancy continued to sing the risqué song to him.   “Go get her, big boy!” Mark egged him on.  

That was all of the prompting he needed. Ned pushed his way through the crowds until he was in front of the stage. He waited for her to finish the song, joined everyone in their thunderous applause, and then climbed the steps to stand next to her.  

“Ned!” she crowed delightedly into the microphone. “This is the surprise I was planning for you, baby! This is why I didn’t want to cancel! Am I forgiven now?”  

Ned threw his arms around her and tilted her all the way back, planting a huge kiss on her lips. He could barely hear the crowd screaming their approval as he savored the feel of his mouth on hers. Suddenly, he pulled her upright, bent down, and threw her over his shoulder, carrying her off stage in a fireman’s carry as the audience continued to chant and cheer.  

Nancy was squealing as he carried her through the bar and out the door. “So, does this mean that I’m forgiven?” she called out to him, laughing as she dangled upside down.  

When they were in front of the bar, Ned gently set her down on her feet and kissed her deeply. “That…That was one of the hottest, sexiest things you have ever done for me, and that is saying a lot, my love. I need to call a cab and get you home as soon as possible so I can show you just how much I appreciated your performance,” he told her in a low voice.  

She blushed happily. “I’m so glad,” she replied. “Because especially after today, I needed you to know…”

“I did and I do, baby. But it was so nice to hear you say it in front of the world.”   He gave her another kiss, this one tender, and reached in his pocket for his cell phone. “Now, let’s hope we get the fastest taxi driver in history or, one that won’t look in the backseat…"


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter by killingstreak.

Nancy turned on her side, stretching and sighing softly as she felt Ned burrowing deeper into his pillow beside her.

He was home and her heart was singing. She missed waking up beside him, missed the warmth of his body, missed his kisses.

Ned turned onto his back and Nancy propped her head up and looked down at him, memorizing his features all over again, the fine new lines at the edge of his eyes, the wrinkles on his forehead.

They weren't getting any younger and before she could cut it off, her thoughts strayed to the topic of children. It was like a taboo subject between the two of them – it had scared her immensely in the past, along with the idea of marriage, the notion of being tied to someone forever, of having to be a _mother_ , and take up the responsibility of caring for someone else so fully – that Ned almost never brought it up.  

She knew he wanted children with her but he was also willing to wait, willing to wait until the thought of having children didn't scare her, didn't freak her out.  

 _When you're ready_ , he had whispered reassuringly one night and she had nodded, her heart thumping.

Ned stretched beside her and she _felt_ ready now, felt like having children with him was the next natural step to take.  

_Not with Ned only coming back home on the occasional weekends._

Ned smiled up at her and she smiled back, shaking her head slightly to clear her mind. Even though she had dreamed of, occasionally felt panicked about getting pregnant accidentally, she had always been very careful about her birth control.  

“Hey babe,” Ned murmured, his eyes half-closed as he tried to lunge blindly for her waist, pulling her down to him.  

“Hey,” Nancy smiled, closing her eyes for a second as she snuggled up to him, breathing in his scent. She could stay like this the whole day, and she sighed contently as he tightened his arms around her. He nuzzled against her neck and she giggled slightly, her leg hooking over his hip, her silky nightgown riding up her side as she felt him hardening against her inner thigh.

His hands had just barely crept down to cup her ass and draw her gown over her head when her phone rang.

Ned muttered a curse but he didn't pull back, his fingers teasing the hem of her gown as Nancy closed her eyes. It was Saturday _morning,_ for goodness sake. He pushed up her gown until it was bunched at her stomach and she shivered slightly in anticipation as he pushed down her panties. Her phone stopped ringing and Ned let out a pleased sound as he lightly touched her and found her wet. He slipped one finger in and Nancy shifted restlessly, her hand slipping into the waistband of his boxers. Ned let out a soft sound when she lightly clasped him in her fist.

The phone rang again and Ned growled a little in frustration as Nancy nipped his shoulder and pumped him a few times. She rolled onto her back and Ned took the hint, shoving the covers back as he pushed his boxers down and proceeded to stand on his knees.  

The sun was shining brightly and their entire bedroom was bathed in a glorious golden light. This was the kind of lovemaking that she remembered so well from the early days of their marriage – no, this had been almost a weekly routine until Ned moved to Los fucking Angeles and –  

He gently eased her legs apart and when she looked back up onto his face, she felt her irritation at that thought vanish. How could she begrudge him for doing what he loved? He caught her eye and smiled, and that expression on his face, so full of love and tenderness, warmed her to her toes.

He slipped inside her slowly and Nancy reached behind her for a pillow to prop herself up. He had just filled her fully when their house phone rang and she jerked a little in surprise, the shrill ringing interrupting her thoughts. Her head felt fuzzy, her entire system centered of the feel of him moving in and out of her, of the tenderness of his thrusts, and she looked up at Ned, blinking.

“We should turn that damn thing off next time.”

Ned merely smirked as he pushed her knees up to her chest, and then he was leaning over her, his thrusts going deeper. She whimpered softly under him.  

The ringing stopped and she heard the click of the answering machine. Probably just another damn telemarketer –  

“Nancy?”  

Nancy blinked as Ned froze on top of her, still buried hilt deep inside her.  

“It's Frank. I'm sorry to be calling your house but you weren't picking up your cell. I know it's early and all but we got a lead, Joe and I, and we need you to come and – I can't say much now because I don't know how secure this is... Just call me, okay?”

 The machine beeped again and Ned leaned back up, his eyes hard.  

“Ned...” Nancy murmured, her hand reaching up to cup his cheek as she moved her hips slightly, trying to encourage him to thrust again.

Ned shook his head. “Fucking Hardy,” he spat, and Nancy sighed as she reached down to press her hands against his thighs and push him away.

“Lie down,” she breathed and Ned rolled onto his back, still looking slightly annoyed. She ran her finger down his abs, watching as they tightened under her touch.

She straddled him and they both groaned when she took him fully inside her.

“Let me ride you,” Nancy murmured and Ned nodded, his throat dry as he reached out to cup her breasts, the ponderous weight swaying slightly as she bounced up and down. She planted her hands onto his knees and threw her head back, her hair falling down her back, her back arching as she rode him faster, gravity making her take him as deep as possible.

The house phone rang again and Ned thrust up hard and she cried out. She could read the pure jealousy in his eyes, could see it fuel him as he rocked up under her.

“Need to fucking pull the cord out,” Ned muttered and Nancy nodded as she pushed her hair off her face, her breasts bouncing with her every move.

The answering machine took the call and she could feel Ned stiffen under her as she slowed her movements.

“Still me,” Frank said apologetically, and Ned growled again.

“Shut up,” he muttered under his breath. Nancy looked at him mildly as his hands crept to her hips, to guide her against him again.

“Sorry to call again but we have a flight to catch. Buffalo, noon. It's not like you to vanish off the surface of the earth but maybe you're still sleeping so sorry, but this is important and uh, bye. Just call me when you get this.”

Ned pinched her nipple and she moaned, moving against him again.

“New York,” Ned grunted and she shook her head, reaching up to swipe away the hair clinging to her cheek as she propped herself up and fucked him harder, her hands shifting to his chest as she bent over him. He reached up to touch her and she let out a soft cry when he brushed against her clit and then he was teasing it, circling it, and she arched, her head bowed as she pressed harder against him, as she clenched around him.

“You are mine,” Ned growled as his hips pushed up, and she groaned as his coarse pubic hair rubbed against her as well. “Mine,” he repeated, and then he was curling his arm around her slender waist and in one swift motion, he had her sprawled lengthwise on her back as he pushed her bent knees up and fucked her furiously.

“Mine forever,” he said harshly and Nancy nodded, her eyes screwed shut as he lifted her legs up and _god_ , he felt so _huge_ this way –  

“Fuck.” Nancy moaned, her breath catching –  

“Say my name,” Ned panted as he pushed deeper into her.

“Oh fuck, god, _fuck_ , _Ned_ ,” she cried as she climaxed, as her inner walls clamped down on him. Ned let out a loud groan and released himself.

“Fuck fuck fuck,” Nancy muttered as he collapsed onto her, his breaths harsh.  

“Mine,” Ned mumbled as he clung to her, his mouth seeking her neck.  

“Forever,” Nancy agreed, her hands running up and down his back. She jerked as he moved slightly inside her and she felt him begin to suck a hickey on her neck.

“Hey,” she demurred and Ned caged her even more tightly in his arms. He moved his hips and she whimpered as she felt him press deeper into her again.

He pulled out of her and she sighed when he rolled off her, her chest heaving.

Her cell phone rang. Ned swore aloud this time and Nancy looked at him in alarm. He pushed himself off the bed and went straight to her dresser. Before Nancy could object, he had answered the call.

“Hardy,” Ned practically barked into the phone. Nancy scrambled to sit upright, wincing at the throbbing between her legs.

“Nancy was a little _occupied_ just now,” Ned continued, and she could _swear_ that he was gloating as he turned to face her, a small smirk on his face. Nancy shook her head warningly at him as she swung her legs over the side of the bed, and his gaze traveled down her legs and back up to her face.

 _Give it to me_ , she mouthed and Ned shook his head as she tried to pry the phone out of his hands.

“Ned,” Nancy said in a low warning tone, and Ned passed over the phone mutely to her. She took it and narrowed her eyes at him. Ned brushed the flesh between her thighs in retaliation and she let out a breathy gasp, tingling in response.  

“Nancy?” Frank asked, concerned. Ned smirked at her, and she was blushing a deep red.

“Let me go clean up and put on some clothes, sweetheart,” Ned leaned down to whisper in her ear, no doubt intending for Frank to overhear. Her eyes widened and she immediately reached up to cover the mouthpiece of the phone as she waved him away, her face burning.  

“Frank, hey,” Nancy mumbled as she sat back on the bed, fishing up her panties with her toes. She knew that he couldn't see her, but it felt strange to talk to him while she was naked. “Just give me a second.” She stepped back into her underwear and threw her nightgown back on before settling down in front of her vanity, frowning as she saw the fresh red mark on her neck.

“Okay, I'm good now.”

“Sorry to, uh, interrupt,” Frank mumbled. “You must have been busy.”

Nancy blushed again. “Uh, yeah. I was kinda busy just now.”

Ned walked out of the bathroom and raised an eyebrow at her reply. Nancy flipped him off and he shrugged, gesturing to her that he was going to make breakfast.  

 _Eggs and bacon_ , Nancy mouthed and he nodded, shooting her a grin and patting his stomach. She missed _this_ , missed the feeling of domesticity, missed how it felt to wake up beside the man she loved, to eat breakfast together. She missed feeling like she was _married_. For the longest time, she had felt like his _mistress_ , sneaking whatever few moments he could afford her, and taking whatever she could get instead of what she needed.  

“Nancy?” Frank asked gently and Nancy blinked.

“Huh, what, sorry,” she apologized, and Frank chuckled a little.

“I said, ten thirty at O'Hare. Joe and I will be waiting for you.”

She glanced at her bedside clock. “It's ten now, Hardy, and I haven't even eaten. Or packed.”

“Meal on board.” Frank said easily. “Okay, ten forty-five. It's a hot tip and –”

“Yeah, okay,” Nancy answered with a sigh. “Let me just run it by Ned first.”

“Yeah, sure. Just...”  

She might have imagined it but Frank sounded a little funny after she mentioned Ned.

“Hmm?”

“Just – We need you.”

Nancy laughed. “You got me, Hardy.”

-

Nancy jumped into the shower and shivered a little as the cold spray hit her smack in the face. Wincing a little, she washed between her legs, her nipples hardening under the water and her flesh still throbbing.  

Wrapped in her bathrobe, Nancy stepped out of the bathroom toweling her hair dry only to find Ned waiting for her, a huge plate of bacon and eggs in his hand. He speared a bite with the fork and Nancy approached him, smiling as he fed it to her.

“Mhm, thanks,” she mumbled, her mouth full. Ned gave a mock bow, careful to keep the plate balanced.

She went to her closet and, aware that Ned was looking over her shoulder, picked a lacy see-through thong and matching bra and set them on the bed, dropping her robe.

“You're not wearing that,” Ned immediately said, and Nancy turned, one eyebrow raised.

“Oh?”

“Not if you're gonna meet Hardy.”

Nancy half-rolled her eyes at him and turned back to her underwear drawer. “Fine, but that's going into my suitcase anyway.”

“What would you need it for?” Ned challenged and Nancy sighed.

“It's _underwear_. Unless I take off my clothes, which I am _not_ , no one would be able to see it.”

“Still don't like it,” Ned mumbled as he picked up a slice of bacon and stuffed it in his mouth.

Shaking her head, Nancy pulled on plain white cotton panties and a beige bra and when she snapped on the back clasp she turned around and cocked her head, her hand on her hips. “Plain enough?”

She didn't miss the way his eyes traveled to her breasts and down her body before stopping at her chest again. He placed the plate on the dresser and walked towards her, shaking his head. “Still so damn sexy,” he murmured as he gently cupped her cheek, and Nancy tilted her head up to meet his kiss. When he pulled back, her lips were flushed and the strap of her bra had fell down her shoulder.

“New York,” Ned whispered as he picked up a lock of her hair and held it between his fingers. “How long?”

She shrugged slightly and Ned released his grip. “Maybe a week or two. I don't know. We don't know.”

“Two weeks of not seeing you.” _Two weeks with Hardy._ His heart clenched a little.

A small smile touched her lips. “We've gone longer before.”

“I know.” Ned dipped his head as he stepped back. “Go pack your stuff, I'll drive you to the airport.”

-

They found Frank and Joe easily. Joe was turning on his charm with the Starbucks girl and Frank was sipping his iced latte, frowning at his laptop.

“Isn't it a little too obvious, us traveling together?” Nancy quipped softly as she passed by their table, and Frank looked up in surprise. Ned was a little annoyed at the way Frank's gaze lingered on his wife for a second too long.

Ned cleared his throat and Frank's gaze fell on him. Ned knew he might be imagining things, but the other man's gaze was anything but friendly.  

“Ned.” Frank nodded his head in a curt greeting and Ned graced him with a slight upturn of his lips. Nancy looked between the two men and rolled her eyes, surreptitiously tugging on Ned's arm.  

Frank turned his laptop toward Nancy and she quickly scanned the email he had pulled up. Six likely candidates for Onyx, two of whom were in New York, the other four in locations unknown.

Ned moved to look over Nancy's shoulder and he saw Frank stiffening a little but he couldn't be bothered about confidentiality and all that shit. He was her _husband_ and if anything went wrong, he _needed_ to know where to find her, or at least know where to start looking. This was Hardy, and much as he wanted to, Ned still couldn't bring himself to fully trust that damn guy. A part of him still believed that Frank was waiting, hoping and praying Ned and Nancy would have a hell of an explosive argument, and then he would be there to comfort her and take advantage of the situation –  

Nancy straightened up and Ned slung his arm around her waist, pulling her to him. He was a little disappointed to find that she had covered his hickey with makeup.

At least his ring was on her finger.

“Hey Nancy, hey Ned,” Joe greeted them cheerfully, a napkin scissored between his fingers.  

Nancy raised an eyebrow. “For someone whose job has been jeopardized for the past month, you do sound cheerful.”

Joe shrugged as he leaned over to take a sip of his brother's coffee. “I got that babe's number. _Monica_. Doesn't that name just _roll_ off your tongue?”

Nancy laughed as Ned slipped his arms around her from behind and rested his chin on the crown of her head, swaying ever so slightly to the jazz music playing through the overhead speakers. Frank narrowed his eyes and slammed the laptop shut with a little more force than necessary, and Joe cast a wary look at his brother.

 _What,_ he mouthed at Nancy, and she just shook her head, carefully prying Ned's hands from her waist. “We should check in now before we have to run to make our flight.”

“Call me,” Ned murmured as he leaned down to press a soft kiss on her lips, and Nancy nodded when they broke apart.

“Two weeks, no more,” Ned said, mock sternly, and Nancy laughed as she patted his arm.

“No more,” she promised. Even though they both knew it was empty, Ned nodded anyway.  

“Come back to me,” he breathed as she walked toward the luggage inspection line, ticket in hand. Frank and Joe had already cleared security and were waiting for her at the other side. Joe was checking out the pretty x-ray machine operator while Frank looked like he had eaten something wrong; his jaw was tight, his eyes on the floor.

“Always.” She turned around and blew Ned a kiss.

_Love you babe._

-

Nancy settled down in her seat, then looked at the brothers. She had the window seat and the brothers were obviously debating who would sit next to her.  

Nancy rolled her eyes as Joe, grinning, pushed his brother towards her. “Come on, guys,” she muttered as she held up her left hand. “I'm married.”

“Not a word in my dictionary,” Joe spoke up. Nancy narrowed her eyes at him as, shrugging, Frank took the seat beside her.

She smiled at him and fished her phone out of her purse, turning it to airplane mode. Frank browsed through the inflight magazine, wrinkling his nose at the snack prices.

Nancy stifled a yawn with the back of her hand and Frank looked over. “Didn't sleep well last night?”

“I would have, but Ned was...” The words slipped out of her mouth before she remembered that she wasn't speaking to Bess, she was speaking to _Frank._ Immediately her ears turned red, a blush stealing over her face.

“Oh. Uhm.” Frank shifted in his seat and cleared his throat. Nancy turned her gaze to the window, pretending to study the other planes.

Even though things _were_ okay, the lingerie incident had left a lingering awkwardness between them. She had felt the tiniest bit uncomfortable when she had said hi at the airport, very aware that his gaze had dropped to her chest for a split second. She had chosen a gray pullover and even though it was Ned's and easily three sizes too big, she still felt exposed when he looked at her like that, like he was mentally undressing her.

The plane started to move and Nancy settled into her seat, yawning again as she fluffed up the tiny airline-issued pillow. “Wake me up when it's snack time?” she asked, and Frank nodded.  

She felt like she had barely just closed her eyes when Frank was gently nudging her. She brought her head up muzzily, jerking a little when she realized that her head had ended up practically on his shoulder when she had fallen asleep.

“The snack cart is coming,” Frank informed her and Nancy nodded, gingerly rubbing her bleary eyes. Frank pointed at the juice on her tray. “I got orange juice for you.”

“Thanks.” Nancy smiled as she sipped it. Her head pounded slightly from the short nap.

“Peanuts or pretzels, sir?” The air stewardess smiled at Frank.

“Pretzels, thanks. And coffee too.”

“We'll serve coffee later. But here's your snack.”

“Peanuts, please.” Nancy smiled as she fiddled with her headset and tuned in to a radio station. She didn't see the point of doing anything else when the flight was so short.

Frank ripped open the small foil packet and wrinkled his nose at Nancy. “Great, three pretzels,” he groaned, and Nancy shook her head.

“At least they aren't too tiny.”

Frank sniggered as he crunched down on one. The stewardess came back, a coffee pot, creamers and sugars balanced on a tray.

“Coffee, sir?”

Frank dipped his head and accepted a cup.  

“And your wife, too?” She smiled as she passed the cup of steaming aromatic liquid to him and Frank looked at her, not quite understanding.

“Coffee for the lady as well?” she repeated and Frank blinked. Oh. She thought Nancy was his _wife_. He looked over at Nancy, who was looking a little awkward.

“Uh, yeah, okay.” Nancy shrugged a little as she reached for the proffered styrofoam cup.  

When the stewardess was gone, Frank turned to her. “Did she just think you were my wife?”

Nancy shrugged. “We were talking and I have a ring on my finger...”

“You didn't tell her you weren't...” Frank trailed off and Nancy fished a peanut out of her packet, avoiding his gaze.

“I wasn't what.”

“Weren't married to me, of course.” Frank gazed at her intently.

Nancy crunched down on her snack and waved his comment aside. “Not like it matters. We'll only be on this flight for, what, another hour?”

“Reminds me of the times when you used to play my wife,” Frank murmured and Nancy looked at him.

“Oh, Ned wouldn't like that, he definitely didn't like it then,” Nancy reminded him mildly as she took a sip of her coffee. “Mmhm, at least the coffee's good.”

“You can have mine.” Frank shrugged as he leaned over to place his onto her tray.

“Thanks.” Nancy smiled and he held her gaze, a hint of challenge in his eyes.

She was the first to look away.

-

When they checked into their hotel, they did the usual bug sweep. Fully satisfied, Frank plugged in his laptop, and Joe bolted the door and drew the curtains.

“So what have we got,” Nancy asked as she sat on the bed she had claimed, indian-style.  

They had opted to share one room again, because they needed one person in the room at all times. They couldn't risk getting bugged again, although two weeks of rejecting housekeeping was going to be absolutely awful.

She had teased the brothers a little about having to share the double bed and they had laughed along with her because it wasn't like anyone would be sharing the bed with her. Not like anyone _could_. She was pretty sure Ned would sense it, fly down and rip that person's head off.

“Two suspects so far. Intel says there's word on a third in the next few days or so.”

“Yvette Lahr and Kent Woodhill,” Joe piped up as he booted up his own computer.

“Plus Sofia Marner now,” Frank added as his fingers flew across the keyboard. “Checked for bugs?” he asked almost absent-mindedly.  

Joe looked at Nancy and rolled his eyes. “Since I was an infant, my dear brother.”

Nancy giggled as she plugged in her laptop's power supply and hopped off the bed to join the brothers on the carpeted floor. “Careful, Joe, you don't want to get crumbs on that carpet. Especially since we're not going to have any housekeeping.”

“Say, someone's really domesticated, eh?” Joe commented, although he was grinning to soften his words.

Nancy laughed as she shook her head. “All I can say is that I am _not_ going to clean up after you, honey.”

Frank looked up from his computer screen, a frown between his eyes. “Come on guys, can we be a little more _serious_?”

“Why so serious, bro,” Joe quipped while Nancy bit the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling. It wasn't like she could start anything _yet_ ; her computer was still running checks for any potential bugs and the timer on her screen told her that she had a good three minutes to go.

Frank cast him a withering glare and Joe held up his hands in surrender.  

“Whoa, okay, okay –”

“I'm doing this for _you_ , if you haven't noticed. _You_ are the one Onyx has been targeting the most. Four government missions jeopardized and you can still laugh about it? You're about to lose your fucking job and all you care about is picking up chicks and having a good time. This is _not_ about having a good time and if Onyx slips through our fingers, _you_ will be the first to go down, _for fuck's sake_!” Frank snarled.

Joe backed away warily, and Nancy touched Frank's thigh. “We know, Frank,” she whispered, and he blinked, the vein at his temple throbbing.

Her computer chimed to inform her that it was free from any malware and she drew up the search engine.

“Background check, anyone?”

-

After Nancy had left, Ned had considered taking the next flight back— _home_ , he was already thinking of it that way, and he caught himself uneasily. What was the point of staying in Chicago if Nancy wasn't here? He could make his way back to L.A earlier, get a head start on his work and avoid the usual Monday crunch.  

Part of him resented the fact that she had to leave so soon. He had only been home since Friday, and even then, while she was snuggling up to him in one of her ridiculously provocative nighties holding a cup of hot cocoa, he was still juggling presentations and accounts, trying to make the proposal perfect.

Not that she really minded. It was enough that he was _here_ , that even though he had to work from home, it was enough because he was back home.

He had planned a date night, complete with a reservation at her favorite restaurant. He took her out so rarely, with the distance between them and her frequent cases. And now she was with Hardy – the _Hardys,_ but it didn't seem to matter that Joe was there at all – hundreds of miles away, and they were both right where they had started.

Apart.

Well, at least he could call Mike and see if Jan was willing to let him have a drink or two with him.  

-

Ned was just idly tapping the end of his ballpoint pen when Heather walked in, balancing a few files and struggling to rip a memo off the cover.

Damn it. Work was supposed to end in ten minutes but from the look of it, he was far from finished.

She planted the yellow post-it on his desk and Ned looked at it and groaned a little. More stuff to vet, and the revised proposal had been rejected _again_. Fuck. Ned massaged the bridge of his nose and Heather looked at him sympathetically.

“If you want me to call Jack...” She looked at him hopefully and for a split second Ned had a sneaking suspicion that there was something going on between the two of them.

He shook his head. “No, no. Call Jenkins. And oh, Scott too.”

She pouted a little and Ned waved at her to go on before glancing at the framed photo on his desk. Nancy smiled back at him, her expression so serene, so calm.

“Inviting us to dinner, Nickerson?” Jenkins walked in. Ned gestured at the memo on his desk.

“Rejected, _again?_ ” Jenkins groaned and muttered a curse.

“Fuck, no.” Scott overheard the last bit and added in his own profanity.  

“Two bloody weeks on this shit and still no?”  

Ned shrugged as he leaned back in his chair, stretching.

“Fucking son of a bitch,” Jenkins swore, running his hand through his hair. Or whatever was left of his hair. His hairline had receded quite a bit.

“We need to get this done by this Friday,” Scott piped up and when the other two looked at him, he raised his hands, palms out, shrugging. “Two days, I _know_ , but it's dinner and dancing, remember? And that client is going to be there too.”

“Great,” Ned muttered. “Meeting in ten. Call the rest of the team in.”

Two exhausting solid hours of brainstorming and a massive order of Chinese food later, they had finally decided to call it a day when Ned's cell rang. Fishing it out of his pocket, he smiled when he saw Nancy's face smiling back at him.

“Hey baby.” Ned lowered his voice as he stuffed the papers back into his folder and started back to his office.

“Ned,” she chirped, and he was glad for the happiness in her voice. “Hi.”

“How's things?”

“Good, pretty good,” Nancy replied airily.  

Ned chuckled. “So you'll be back home tomorrow.”

At her slight pause, Ned's heart sank. Of course. When she said a week or two, it was _always_ going to be a full two weeks. Perhaps more, but never less.

“I still have to confirm a few more things,” she replied softly. “Sorry.”

Ned shrugged. “I was just joking.”

“Yeah.” She sighed, and Ned dimly heard a door slam.  

“Who's that?” Ned asked. He heard the sound of crinkling plastic.

“Frank. With supper,” she replied, then giggled. “I'm eating four meals a day... I think I've already gained five pounds.”

“Is he fattening you up or what?” Ned asked, and she protested.  

“Hey, you always said I was too thin.”

“True. I need to stop being able to see your ribs.”

“I am not _that_ thin,” Nancy protested, her mouth full. “Mmhm, they have the _best_ hotdogs here.”

“A hotdog in your mouth. I think I like that image,” Ned teased, and she spluttered.  

“Ned Nickerson!”

Ned chuckled as he packed his briefcase and prepared to leave the office. “There's a client dinner and dancing after this Friday, Nan.”

She stayed silent, and only the sound of her chewing told him that she was still on the line.  

“I know. You can't make it,” Ned said quietly, and Nancy made a soft noise.

“I might –”

“It's okay,” Ned assured her. “You don't have to break your neck to get here in time.”

“Are... Will you taking someone else?” Nancy whispered and _god_ , her voice was trembling just a little, and he hated himself for it.

“No,” Ned hurriedly answered. “No. I'm going stag.”

“You don't have to,” she pointed out hesitantly, but Ned knew the full meaning behind her words.

_If you go with someone else..._

“It's either you or no one,” he replied firmly.

“I'm sorry,” Nancy apologized and Ned shrugged it off.

“Next time, then.”

-

Nancy ended the call and threw her phone down on the bed. She missed and the phone bounced off the side. It was about to hit the carpet when Frank dove to catch it.

“Thanks,” Nancy said, a little embarrassed, and Frank chuckled as he passed it to her.

“Taking it out on a poor piece of metal.”

Nancy shrugged as she sipped her coffee, making a face when she realized it had gone half-cold.

“Ned.” Frank asked, but it wasn't really a question.

She forced a smile onto her face. “It's nothing.” 

“Sure,” he murmured as Joe came crashing into the room, balancing a paper bag rather precariously in one hand.

“Does no one ever answer the goddamn door?”

Frank ignored him as he got up to inspect the paper bag. “What have you got there? Ramen?”

“Probably liquor,” Nancy added dryly. Joe grinned, giving her a thumbs-up.

“ _Joe_ –” Frank started, but Joe cut him off.

“Listen bro, we need to take a _break_. What, we have been cooped up in this shit place – or at least it looks like shit now – for the past week and a half and we're _this_ close to tracking down Yvette and Kent –” 

“All the more reason why the last thing we need is a hangover.”

Joe sniggered. “I said nothing about drinking _that_ much. I was just thinking a shot or two, but it seems like you might need the whole bottle to yourself; you're so tense and high-strung.”

“Shut up,” Frank said as he opened the bottle and filled the clear glasses. Nancy raised an eyebrow but accepted the offered glass nonetheless.

“If any of you guys end up puking all over the carpet...” She trailed off and glared at Joe, but he held up his hand to stop her.

“Hey, I'm not the lightweight here.”

Frank flipped him off as he settled back on the carpet. “How about a game of cards?”

-

They had started drinking when it was barely nine o'clock. Nancy was hardly surprised to find that Joe was snoring, slumped against the side of the bed, his glass still half-full, and Frank was looking thoroughly drunk, glassy-eyed and disheveled, by eleven.

Joe had been knocking down the shots like there was no tomorrow. Nancy had been much more careful, limiting her alcohol intake to just two shots with plenty of chaser. If Onyx was to burst in, at least one of them would still be able to aim straight.

Frank wasn't far behind his brother but from the way he was drinking, Nancy was sure that something was troubling him. Frank cast a look at his brother and tried to shake his head in disgust, but he winced at the movement.

“You shouldn't have drank that much, that quick,” Nancy gently chastised him. “Do you need me to help you get in bed?”

“Hell yes,” Frank croaked and he pushed himself up, swaying dangerously. Nancy quickly supported him and she staggered under his weight. At least he was much lighter than Ned. Ned easily had twenty pounds on him, in height and solid muscle. 

She pushed back the covers and when Frank began to push down his trousers, she looked away, her ears turning red.

“I'm going to leave Joe down there, okay?” 

“Mhm,” Frank mumbled and when she moved away from his bed, his arm shot out to grab her. She turned, her eyes wide, and she looked so beautiful in the bath of golden light from the bedside lamp. Flushed cheeks against the most perfect shade of reddish-blonde hair. His gaze traveled down and he found himself wondering whether she was wearing any of the underwear he had accidentally seen, if she had put it on even though she knew she won't be anywhere near Ned. If perhaps an outfit or two was for _him_ – 

There was an attraction between them. There fucking _was_. He had no idea how she could deny it for so long. 

“Aren't you going to join me,” he asked roughly, and oh, the blush that was stealing across her face – 

Was she wet for him now, he wondered.

“What?” Nancy asked. Frank sat up with some effort and tugged at her wrist to make her move closer.

“You said you're going to _help_ me in bed,” Frank accused, and the double meaning of the word dawned upon her.

“Frank,” she breathed, her eyes widening, and shook her head. “You're drunk.”

“No. Come on,” he insisted, as he tried to loop an arm around her waist. “I'm all ready for you. See?” He pushed down the covers and her gaze gravitated of its own accord to his lap, where his member was standing proudly.

_Oh god, Ned._

She jerked away but for someone that drunk, Frank moved fast, successfully capturing her arm again.

She tore her gaze away from his crotch and met his gaze. “You're fucked up, Frank.”

He shook his head. His head didn't hurt that much anymore, didn't hurt as much when he was touching her, when his skin was in contact with hers. He needed _more_.

“Not until you ride me,” he replied, and he sounded so startlingly clear that Nancy wasn't even sure if it was the alcohol talking.

“Frank... God, please, you're drunk, you just need to sleep it off,” Nancy begged, shaking her head as she shook off his hand and backed towards her bed.

“I bet you're wet,” Frank continued as if he hadn't heard her, standing and approaching her. “I bet you're so fucking wet for me right now. Come here, baby, come here and let me show you what it's like with a real man.”

“Frank,” Nancy tried again, this time her voice firm. She was terrified that if he heard her voice waver, he would take it as an invitation. “Frank, I mean it, _no_.”

He took a step closer and she had never seen him like this, not ever.

“Are you wearing that sexy red thing I saw last time? Or maybe something even hotter?”

She stared at him, her face flaming red, and she unconsciously tugged the collar of her sweatshirt further up. “Stop it, Frank. You're scaring me.”

He sat down on the edge of her bed and she stood up immediately, preparing to make a run for the bathroom if he didn't stop. 

“Why is it Ned,” he asked as he dry-washed his face with his palms, and Nancy stared at him incredulously. “Why Ned, why not me.”

“You have Callie,” she reminded him gently. Her heart ached for the girl when she saw him shake his head.

“That's different. You're different.” He looked at her and his gaze was unfocused and oh, it was definitely the alcohol talking.

“I've wanted you since day one. Before you even _met_ him. And now you stand here, married to _him_ , wearing his ring and fuck, I never even got to try, never had a chance –” He cut himself off and stood, and she looked at him warily. Joe was still knocked out cold on the floor, none the wiser. 

“And today, today is our chance –” He crossed the room in two big steps and she turned frantically. “After so long, finally –”

She ran to the bathroom and slammed the door shut, immediately locking the door. As soon as she was alone she felt a sob rise up in her and choked it off sharply, burying her face in the collar of her sweatshirt as the tears finally welled up and began to fall.

-

When she woke up, Nancy had to think for a good three seconds before she remembered why she was sleeping on the cold tile floor of the bathroom, using the towel as a pillow.

_Frank._

The thought filled her with so much horror. No words could describe it.

He was her _friend_ , her _childhood_ friend, and he had tried to, had been about to— 

She splashed water onto her face, wincing at her bloodshot eyes and matted lashes. She was unable to get the thought out of her head. If she hadn't made it to the bathroom in time...

But she _had,_ and everything was okay. For now.

But what about the next time he asked her to help him with a case? How could she face him knowing that one of his deepest, strongest desires was to fuck her?

She was almost afraid to open the bathroom door again, but her watch told her that it was almost ten. Joe had to be awake by now. At least he could act as the buffer between them—until they were alone again. The thought made her almost physically sick.

She cautiously opened the door a crack and saw Joe standing there, his back to her. The door creaked loudly and Joe jumped, his head craning to see her.

“Nancy! Finally. Frank said not to disturb you so I had to pee in a bottle. But the bottleneck's a little small, you know.” He shot her a charming grin. If she were another girl, she would probably have blushed and bumped shoulders with him, but Nancy only gave him a wan smile. 

“You probably know all about it, heard about Ned's...” Joe rambled on and she smiled politely as she passed him to reach her suitcase. Frank was sitting at the edge of his bed, his posture ramrod straight. When their gazes met, he froze completely. She had thought things were awkward before them before. She could never have imagined how much worse it could be.

She shrank a little from him and even though he made no move to get off the bed, she took great care to pack her luggage near Joe, near the door, just in case.

“I– I have to go.” She cleared her throat and her voice sounded rusty. She had wanted so badly to do this last night, but she had been terrified to leave the bathroom while he could possibly wake and see her, when Joe was still passed out and unable to help. Waking Joe, letting him see what was going on between them—that had been out of the question. As humiliating as Frank's behavior had been, Joe being aware of it would have been somehow worse.

She felt Joe's eyes on her but she was staring at Frank, fighting down her fear, challenging him to look at her. He met her gaze hesitantly and she knew that he was not going to apologize to her openly, at least not while Joe was in the room. She didn't want Joe to know either; god, the awkwardness would be twice as bad, after.

_I'm sorry, Nancy. I'm so, so fucking sorry._

“You're going?” Joe asked, surprised. Despite herself, Nancy had to smile at him. He wasn't displaying any signs of a hangover whatsoever, even though he had drank practically a whole bottle by himself.

Nancy nodded. “Uh. Stuff. You know, at home. Ned.” She shrugged, hoping he picked up her meaning. “Besides, we're almost done here. We know most of what we need to know.”

“Sure, okay.” Joe shrugged before turning to his brother. “Hey Frank, want to walk her down?”

She turned to stare at Joe before she thought about it, her eyes wide and frantic.

“I don't think I could manage an elevator ride, like this,” Frank muttered thickly.

_I'm sorry, Nan._

“How can I make it up to you,” he continued, his voice bland, and he was imploring her with his gaze, begging her.

_How do I make up for the terrible thing I almost did to you? To us?_

“Gee, I can walk you down instead,” Joe piped up and Nancy shook her head.

“No,” she said quietly. “I'm just going to flag down a cab. I'll be okay.”

“Nancy,” Frank murmured, and Joe was looking between the two of them curiously.

Nancy shook her head and backed away from him, dragging her suitcase behind her.

“No, just, _don't_.”

“I'm sorry.” _So, so, sorry._

She shook her head again as she reached the door. “Just... Just call me in a week or something.”

“We'll call if we find anything new,” Joe added, completely oblivious, and she shot him a small smile before she closed the door behind her. 

She needed to get on the next flight to Los Angeles before she lost her mind.

-

Her flight touched down at LAX at seven in the evening and Nancy silently groaned as she realized that the traffic would be horrendous. 

_Ned._

Every minute away from him, away from his touch, was making her come out of her skin. 

She consulted her watch when the taxi turned onto his street. With any luck, he wasn't working overtime in the office or hanging out with his buddies at the bar, but instead watching ESPN and falling asleep in front of the television.

She paid the cab driver and got out of the car, her hand nervously turning his apartment key over and over again in her palm.

She was incredibly jumpy, had been since Frank had gone all batshit crazy on her. She knew that he wanted her, but she had thought it just a mindless attraction, that he would _never_ in a million years act on it, drunk or not.

She keyed into Ned's apartment silently, breathing a word of thanks when she saw the blue flicker of the television in his living room. She had wanted to call him so badly, during her wait at the airport, when she was on layover in Detroit, when she had landed, but she didn't. Mostly because she didn't know what to tell him.

_I'm here ahead of schedule because Frank tried to rape me._

Ned would _definitely_ shoot through the roof, then book a plane so he could actually fly the craft _himself,_ hunt Frank down, and shoot him until his brains were splattered all over the front lawn.

She toed off her shoes and looked down at her outfit. She hadn't changed since yesterday and her sweatshirt was anything but sexy. 

She crept into his living room and saw a can of beer sitting on the table, which probably meant that he was in the kitchen cleaning up. His apartment was a classic bachelor pad, and with his every paycheck fattening, he could afford to replace every low-end piece of furniture here and get the latest state-of-the-art equipment. She marveled at the sleek lines of his sofa and the huge television, which definitely hadn't been here the last time she visited. 

She stole into the kitchen and true enough, Ned had finished clearing up his dishes, humming softly to himself as he buried his head in the fridge, probably hunting for dessert.

“Looking for dessert?” Nancy asked softly and Ned spun around so quickly she almost thought he would lose his balance. With his gaze on her she pulled off her sweatshirt in one fluid motion, and while her bra was a boring nude, his gaze was enraptured anyway. 

“Nan.” He crossed the room and on his face was the widest grin. “Oh, baby.” He took her in his arms and only then did her heart go back to normal, only then did she feel herself coming back together.

He hugged her tightly and she sighed when he kissed the crown of her head, when his hands reached to the back clasp of her bra and swiftly unhooked it. He pulled back and immediately cupped her breasts, lightly fondling the tips. Nancy pushed down both her jeans and panties in one swift motion, rising to face him again, almost defiantly.

“Wow,” Ned breathed. He was grinning as he released her breasts, to cup her face as he kissed her. She kissed him back hungrily, her hands running through his hair, and then she was pressing her breasts against his bare chest. He growled as she bit down on his lower lip.

He picked her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist immediately, her hips bucking, and Ned started in the direction of his bedroom.

“No,” Nancy whispered and he stopped, confused, releasing her.

“No?”

She shook her head and then hopped up onto his counter, her hands planted behind her as she spread her legs wide, her toes gripping the edge.

Ned shook his head and she cocked her head to one side. “Fuck, Nan, oh god.”

He stepped in between her legs and when he gently ran the tip of his finger down her slit, she threw her head back, panting slightly. His thumb brushed her clit and she jerked, her hips bucking. He slid one finger in and made a soft noise when he found her wet.

He dropped to his knees and when his tongue flicked her clit, Nancy cried out loudly, reaching down to cup the back of his head. “Oh, Ned, please,” she moaned and Ned made encouraging noises as he plunged another finger inside her, his tongue vibrating against her clit. Her hips jerked and her knees threatened to go weak as she clenched down onto him, hard, and then he shoved a third finger in and brushed his stubble over that sensitive tight nub of flesh and – 

“Fuck, fuck, _fuck_ ,” Nancy screamed as he rubbed the rough curve of his chin against her repeatedly and she arched, thrusting out her breasts to him as she came hard.

He pulled his fingers out of her and she slumped, panting, limp and sated. Ned wiped his mouth with the back of his hand as he pushed down his boxers impatiently. He curled two fingers inside her again and she squirmed, her eyes screwed shut at how sensitive she was still, and he used the moisture he found there to stroke his cock, pumping it a few times.

He gently pushed her knees apart again and when he fitted the tip of his head against her sex, she shivered. He gripped her hips, pulling her towards him and pushed in, slowly, inch by inch. She clenched involuntarily against him, groaning when he slid fully in. 

“Fuck,” she panted as she tossed her hair back, and he made a pleased sound to find her so wet and hot.

“So fucking tight, baby,” Ned murmured as his thumb crept down to press against her clit. Her hips arched off the countertop, her toes slipping off the granite. 

He chuckled and pulled back out before slamming back into her and she whimpered, and her position felt so vulnerable but with Ned she was _safe_ , he would never let anything happen to her – 

He pulled her hips towards her, angling her, and oh _fuck_ , oh holy shit, the angle was perfect and she cried out again as he pumped into her, in long fast strokes, filling her completely.

“Please, fuck, Ned, please, please, please.” She was burbling, her head thrown back, one hand coming up to play with her own nipples and then Ned took both her legs and slung them over his shoulders and dragged her until her hips were off the counter. In the haze of her arousal, she couldn't help but realize that the countertop was the perfect height for him.

He leaned forward, until her knees were slightly bent, and then he was fucking _pounding_ into her, his balls smacking against her as this thrusts became harder and more brutal. She was clawing at his back, her nails leaving angry red welts.

“Come,” Ned hissed, panting, and she gasped as she touched her own clit, the sensation sending a shiver down her spine. She rolled her hips and clamped down on him and he groaned aloud, at how incredibly tight she was, how wet, how _slick_ she was for him, for his love, and she cried out, her legs slipping down to wrap around his waist again – 

He pushed himself up onto the balls of his feet and when he fucked her from that extra height, his shaft was brushing against her clit and oh _fuck_ – 

“Fuck, _Ned_ ,” she sobbed, clawing at his biceps as she pulled him even more tightly to her, her flesh throbbing as they came together, and she was shaking, still burbling incoherent pleas as her inner flesh clenched weakly over and over again.

He pulled out of her gently, his head bowed, and Nancy let her legs fall open as she tried to catch her breath. Ned disappeared into the bathroom and when he came out, all cleaned up, his lips quirked a little to see her still sitting there.

“I can't fucking move,” Nancy groaned, and Ned smirked as he helped her down.

“So, sex on the kitchen counter. How come I didn't think of that?”

Nancy shrugged as she bent to pick up her clothes, only to wince at how sore her thighs felt. “I needed to mark my territory,” Nancy blurted out, and immediately blushed at how juvenile it sounded.

Ned laughed, then made a flourishing gesture. “Be my guest. Name the place and I'll gladly fuck you wherever you want.”

She rolled her eyes at him but she couldn't stop touching him, and even when he was standing in front of her, she couldn't resist looping an arm around his waist so that their bare skin touched. She loved his warmth, loved his skin on hers.

“So why are you back so early?” Ned asked as he slipped an arm around her shoulder and squeezed her. “Not that I'm complaining,” he added hurriedly.

Nancy looked down and he felt her shiver a little. “It's sort of a long story.”

“What is it,” Ned said. The tone in her voice had put him immediately on his guard.

“Frank –”

“What did that son of a bitch do,” Ned snarled and Nancy blinked a little, shaking her head.

“No, it's just...”

“He made a move on you. Didn't he.”

Nancy looked at him in awe. “How did you know?”

“That fucking son of a bitch, oh that fucking _bastard_ ,” Ned swore and Nancy tentatively touched his arm. “I'm going to fucking _kill_ him.”

“Nothing happened – ” Nancy started to say, but Ned cut her off.

“Don't you say that it doesn't matter, after _Eric_ , god, I _knew_ it, one day, one day that fucking asshole would think he finally had a chance –”

“Ned,” Nancy breathed, and her heart ached at how worked up he was, how anguished he looked. The cold fury in his eyes—the state he was in, she wouldn't be surprised if he smashed something, if he destroyed everything on his way to New York.

How dare Frank touch something that was _his_.

No—how dare Frank do such a thing after he knew all about her ordeal with Eric.

He was so tense, and when she touched his arm, tentatively, she had to fight to keep herself calm. His mood was playing off hers, and she wanted to scream. “I'm not... not going back anytime soon... Think you could put up with me for the time being?” Her smile was tentative, brief. "Please say yes, I can't... I can't be alone right now..."

“Stay here with me," he said immediately, that terrible anger fading a little as he responded. "For the next week or so?” Ned asked, although he barely dared to hope.

Nancy nodded, biting her thumb a little as she moved to put on her bra and panties. “I'm okay, Ned. I'm freaked out as hell but I'm okay. I _have_ to be okay, I still need to meet him, still need to work with him... And it was probably just the alcohol... Next time Joe buys liquor I'm going to take the bottle and hit him in the head with it.”

Ned shook his head. “It's not _just_ the alcohol, Nan. Drinking's just a fucking excuse for bad behavior. Drunk guys don't just want to fuck any woman they see unless that's what they want when they're sober.”

“I thought they did,” Nancy answered mildly as she walked to the living room and slid onto his new sofa.

“Not _me_ ,” Ned retorted as he sat down beside her.

She ran her palm down the soft suede leather of his couch. “This is new,” she commented softly.

“Yeah.” Ned nodded, then frowned. “Don't change the subject. The next time I see that asshole, I'm going to punch him in the mouth. For starters.”

“Ned,” Nancy sighed as she lay her head on his shoulder.

“He should be glad I'm not on the next plane to New York to rip his chickenshit head off,” Ned growled.

“You know, I'm kinda surprised you aren't already on the way to the airport.”

“Not worth my time,” Ned murmured as his fingers stroked her bare arm, “when I have such a gorgeous, beautiful, sexy woman beside me.”

She fluttered her eyelashes as she deliberately uncrossed and recrossed her legs. “I say we try out this new sofa of yours.”

“And how about the bed?” Ned asked, one eyebrow raised as he nuzzled against her neck, pulling her onto his lap.

She giggled, swatting at him before looking up at him from under her lashes. “That comes later.”


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter by littlemsmessy.

The morning after Nancy had spontaneously flown to Los Angeles, she found herself at loose ends, not quite what sure what to do next. She had been disappointed when Ned told her he had to work on a project for an extremely demanding client who had already rejected his company’s last two proposals. _You can’t fault him too much,_ she had scolded herself. _After all, you didn’t give him any notice, and you used to do this to him all the time whenever he planned vacations._

She wandered around his small apartment, restless and frustrated. Seeing Ned had definitely helped her mood, but she still felt shocked and betrayed at how one of her oldest friends had behaved in a moment of weakness. 

Nancy was sitting on the couch, using Ned’s laptop to find possible outfits for the client dinner the following night, when her cell phone rang. She checked the display and grimaced when Frank Hardy’s picture appeared on the screen. For a split second, she considered answering his call, but she wasn’t in the mood to hear his excuses or apologies. 

Nancy placed her phone back on the sofa and resumed her web search, irritated when it rang twice more in the span of three minutes. After she heard her phone ring for the fourth time, she snatched it up and stabbed at the answer button. “Why do you always feel the need to call a thousand times in a row, Hardy?” she snapped. “Can’t you take a fucking hint?”

“Nan, I am so goddamn sorry,” she heard Frank reply in a low voice. “You came here to help me and my brother with something that put your safely at risk, and then I go and do…that. I was way out of line, and my behavior was completely inappropriate. ”

She snorted. “You think?”

“I _know_ ,” he told her. “I know I was wrong and my actions were incredibly disrespectful – to both you _and_ Ned. Especially in light of what that shithead Eric tried to do to you – and knowing that I acted like he did makes me _sick_ , Nan. I can’t even look at myself in the mirror.”

“Well, I don’t want to look at you either,” she told him bitterly.

“I am so sorry,” Frank repeated. “For putting you into that position, for talking to you like that…You have every right to slap the shit out of me.”

Nancy’s hands involuntarily curled into fists. “Don’t tempt me, Hardy.”

“I have no excuse – none at all - but it was late, I was drunk, I was stressed about this whole thing with Joe …”

“No, no qualifiers, Frank.  Your problem lately is that you don’t seem to know when to shut the fuck up,” she told him harshly.  “How can I even begin to think about trusting you ever again, about working with you ever again? Do you know how violated I feel?”

“Nan, I _know_ –“

“You couldn’t possibly know!” she snapped back. “It’s bad enough that you tried to take advantage of me and the situation, _especially_ when you knew that that asshole Eric tried to do the same thing to me.  You were one of my oldest friends, someone I trusted totally, and you go and do that? 

“But you know what made it even worse?” She continued when he was silent. “That Ned had been right about you all along. He kept telling me that you still had a thing for me, that all you wanted to do was insinuate yourself into our marriage because you wanted me for yourself. 

“And I actually _defended_ you, Frank - I told him he was being crazy and paranoid! I can’t even tell you how many times we argued about it - every time I would swear up and down that you only cared about me as a friend, and every time he’d insist that you just wanted to fuck me. Well, shame on me, ‘cause he was dead right. And if you think _I’m_ pissed at you, you don’t want to know how Ned feels. If he could, he’d get on a plane to New York to beat your ass.”

“You told him?” Frank whispered. 

Nancy made an incredulous sound. “ _Of course_ I told him, Hardy! He’s my _husband_ , something you seem to keep forgetting. My loyalty is to him, and it always will be.”

“Nan, I know that I can never take back what happened, but that doesn’t mean I’ll stop trying to apologize and make up for it.” 

“You can’t, Frank,” she said wearily. “And I don’t think it’s a good idea for us to work together for a while. It’s going to take me a long time to get over this, if I ever do. I know I said I needed a week, but it’s not enough distance from this, from you.”

“What about the Onyx case? Nan, I know I did the shittiest thing ever to you, but I wouldn’t have brought you into this if you weren’t absolutely crucial to finding this bastard. I understand that you can’t trust me, but my brother’s life is in danger, and you’re one of the best agents out there. I need your help. Please, Nancy. If you never want to see me or hear from me again once this is done, I’ll totally understand, but right now I need you. _Please_.”

Nancy deliberated. Frank’s pleas were affecting her more than they should have. Only the knowledge that Joe was legitimately in serious danger from Onyx made her say yes. “Fine – I’ll finish out this case with the two of you, and then that’ll be the end of it.  I’m only doing this because of Joe, understand? But I still need at least a week here in L.A., probably more. It’s important for... for me and Ned.”

“I understand, and thanks,” he answered quickly. “But can I say something to you about that? I know you’re pissed, and understandably so…”

“And why should I listen to anything else that you have to say?” she challenged. 

“Because, in spite of what I did, you know that I’m your friend and that I care about you, Nan.”

 Nancy couldn’t believe her ears. “You have some balls, saying that to me right now.”

“I know, but please - hear me out?” When she remained silent, Frank continued. “Look, I just need to get this out, okay? And I’m saying it as your friend, not as a guy with a hidden agenda.”

Even though Frank couldn’t see her through the phone, Nancy rolled her eyes as she made a sound of disbelief.  “I’m serious, Nan. Ever since Ned took this job, I have never seen you more miserable. As much as I hate to admit it, you and he were the perfect picture of a happily married couple before he took the job in California. 

“But now? You rarely have a smile on your face anymore, and you always seem down. I mean, look at what happened when the two of us went out to dinner a few weeks ago - I could tell that you were doing everything possible not to cry at the table, Nan.”

Nancy felt her irritation growing. “It was a mistake for me to even tell you anything that night, Frank,” she told him harshly. “Ned’s my husband, and I betrayed him by confiding in you. And you just loved it, didn’t you? More ammunition in your arsenal; one more opportunity for you to act like Mr. Caring and Sensitive. ”

“Okay, I deserved that,” Frank acknowledged with a sigh. “But, Nan, I’ve known you for so long, and I know what you’re like when you’re happy and when you aren’t. And Ned and I aren’t what you’d call close - not by a long shot - but from what I’ve observed, he’s not thrilled about this arrangement, either. 

“Now, both of you are stubborn as hell, but at some point, one of you is gonna have to give in if you really want this marriage to last. You know it as well as I do. So, what are you gonna do about it?”

Nancy blinked, surprised at where he was going with this. “What do you mean?”

“Are you going to go on this way until it breaks down and can’t be fixed? Or, are you going to do what it takes to make yourself happy again?”

“He’s not going to leave L.A., and if I ask him again, we’ll have another huge screaming match. I just can’t – and, honestly, I don’t want to talk about this with you,” she said flatly. 

“Okay, fine. So what about you? I can’t believe I’m saying this, Nan, but I think that you should use your time out there in California to help you to make some decisions. I don’t mean it like you’re thinking,” he added hastily when she made an irritated sound. “I mean, decisions like where the two of you are going to settle down, once and for all.  Because I care about you as much as I do, I want you to resolve this. You love Ned and he loves you – now, do what it takes to save your marriage, Nan. If you don’t, you’ll always regret it.”

It was the absolute last thing she expected him to say to her, and she had no idea how to respond. “Frank…” 

“And I’m so sorry I tried to take advantage of you and your kindness – I was just drunk and jealous because I have no shot with you, because I’m not the one you chose and I never will be. He’ll always be the one you want – I get it now.  Just think about what I said and take this time with Ned as your opportunity to fix things. You know what the right answer is, Nan – you just need to admit it to yourself.”

Before Nancy could formulate her response, she heard the click of Frank disconnecting the call.  Completely preoccupied by Frank’s words, she sat back and stared at the laptop screen without actually seeing the results of her latest web search.

\-- 

“So, did I hear correctly? The elusive Mrs. Nickerson is in town and will actually be attending the client dinner tomorrow night?” Scott walked into the conference room where Ned was sitting at the head of the long table.

Ned couldn’t seem to keep the grin off his face. “You sure did. The only shitty thing is that I can’t take off to spend time with her until next week because of this fucking proposal.” He sighed as he gestured to the table, which was cluttered with laptops, used coffee cups, folders, notepads, and other detritus from their long hours of brainstorming. 

“How long is she going to be in town?” Scott asked as he settled into the chair next to Ned’s. 

“Um, not sure, but at least a week, I think.”

Scott raised his eyebrows. “Wow - will that be the longest she’ll have been out here?”

Ned nodded. “And I’m hoping that she comes to love it as much as I do,” he said lightly, looking up to greet the other team members pouring into the conference room. 

When the meeting wrapped up four hours later, Ned staggered out of the room and headed for his office, mentally and physically exhausted. As he dropped into his chair, he noticed the light on his desk phone signaling that he had at least one voicemail.  Groaning, he picked up the handset and listened to the messages, taking notes and deleting as he went along.  When he listened to the last one, he smiled, satisfied. 

Just as Ned picked up his cell phone and was about to call Nancy, he heard a noise at his door. He looked up to find Carly standing there, a coy little smile on her face. 

Suppressing a groan, Ned placed his phone back on the desk. “Hey, Carly, what’s up?” He tried to sound friendly but not inviting. _Please,_ please _, keep the door open,_ he thought frantically. _I am not in the mood for this right now, and I’m not sure how she’ll do it, but Nan will fucking sense that Carly was in my office when I see her later tonight._

Carly closed the door behind her and practically glided her way to one of the chairs across from his. _Oh, fuck,_ Ned thought frantically. _How can I get rid of her?_

“I have to say, I’m very disappointed, Ned.” She pushed back her chair so that he could watch her cross her spectacular legs beneath her short, tight skirt; he tried to look away but was momentarily mesmerized by the flash of hot pink satin panties in the valley between her thighs. 

“And why’s that, Carly?” he asked neutrally, glancing at his watch. _Maybe that’ll give her the hint._

But Carly looked like she had no intention of leaving anytime soon. “Because I thought you told me you were going to take over my account again.” She turned down her raspberry-glossed lips in an exaggerated pout. 

“Sorry,” he told her, with a brief shake of his head, not bothering to argue with her. “Unfortunately, I’m already swamped with other projects. Like I said, you’re in very good hands, though.”

“But I want to be in your hands, Ned,” she purred as she leaned forward to give him a good look at her highly-mounded cleavage under her suit jacket. “You know, I’m sorry to have to say this, but the company’s decision to keep you away from me is really making me re-think whether I want to keep my business here. After all, I’m bringing in a multi-million dollar account and I can’t seem to get the extra-special attention I’m demanding, that I’m in desperate need of.” Carly looked directly into his eyes and actually licked her lips like they were in one of those cartoons where she was the hungry lion visualizing him as a steak. 

“I’m sorry you feel that way, but I already expressed your concerns to the senior partners. They agreed that it made the most sense to keep the current assignments in place.” He tried to make his shrug and his tone casual. 

“You can make it up to me, though,” she told him, tapping her coral-tipped fingers against her knee, again forcing his eyes to her perfectly-toned legs. 

“Oh?” he asked, fighting to keep calm. 

“Spend Saturday night with me.” Her gaze issued a distinct challenge. “We can have a few drinks, you can show me your moves on the dance floor, then maybe…” Carly let the sentence linger invitingly between them. 

Ned actually heard himself swallow. “Your offer is very flattering, but my wife is in town and she’ll be here at least until next week.” _God, did I just make things better or worse for myself?_ he asked himself ruefully. 

Carly raised one dark eyebrow, smirking. “Oh, really? So, she’s taking time out of her busy schedule to be here? How nice.” The expression in her eyes, though, told him that she found it anything but. “You know, I really would have thought that she'd learned her lesson after what happened at the Christmas party.”

“And what lesson is that?” he returned, still trying to keep control. _It will not be a good thing if you go off on a major client_ , he told himself, feeling his fists clench in his lap. _It was bad enough when your wife threw her into the pool, but this would be harder to explain away._

She chuckled, but it sounded anything but humorous. “Let me be perfectly clear here, Ned. All of our cards on the table.” She stood up and rested her flattened palms against the top of his desk, leaning forward so that her cleavage was at his eye level.  “I find you a very handsome, sexy, desirable man, and I would like nothing more than to get some personal, individualized attention from you. It would be hard work, but I have a feeling that you’d be up for the challenge.” Ned suppressed a wince at her double entendres. 

“After what happened at the holiday party, I would have thought that your wife would be smart enough to keep her eye on you. I thought by now she would’ve realized that if she can’t tear herself away from her job long enough to satisfy you, there are other women out there who would be glad to.” Her lips twisted up in a cunning smile. 

Ned took a deep breath, steepling his fingers on his desk as he measured his words carefully. “Well, if we’re putting all of our cards on the table…I am extremely flattered by your interest in my work, Carly, and this firm values you as a client. 

“However, I also need to be perfectly clear: I am very much in love with my wife, and I am hoping that her visit leads to her staying out here with me, permanently. I do not want to do anything that could put that plan in jeopardy. Since we both know how she feels about me working with you, I’m afraid I can’t give you what you’re looking for.” He sat back in his chair and folded his arms.

 “Fine, have it your way, but I think you’re making a huge mistake,” she told him frankly. “Your wife will go back to her job any day now, and you’ll be lonely again. And when that happens? You know where to reach me.” With that, Carly sauntered out of his office, slamming the door behind her. 

Still shaken, Ned sat at his desk for a few more minutes while he tried to get his breathing back to a normal rhythm. He was going to call Nancy before Carly had interrupted, but he was scared that he wouldn’t be able to hold back from talking about what had just happened.  Realizing the time, he glanced at the clock, hoping he could get to the car dealership before they closed. _I’ll just call her on the way home_ , _when I’m calmer_ , he told himself. 

\--

Nancy groaned loudly when Ned’s alarm awoke them at six the next morning. 

“Sorry, babe,” he murmured, sliding his arm out from under her to slap the alarm silent. 

“It’s okay,” she sighed, not moving. “I guess you really have to go in today, right?”

Ned yawned and stretched as he sat up. “I do. We have to get the third attempt of this damn proposal finished and off to the client by the end of day today. Then, of course we have to go to that dinner and dance and be nice to them when all we really want to do is ask why the fuck they keep making us go through hoops with this shit.” 

“Speaking of the dinner, I have to go shopping again to find a dress. I didn’t have any success yesterday.” After her conversation with Frank, Nancy hadn’t been able concentrate as she had flipped through racks and racks of expensive gowns. She hoped to have better luck today. 

“Get one that’s waterproof, just in case.”

“Ha, ha,” she told him, grabbing his pillow and smacking him on the head with it.  But the subtle mention of Carly made her wheels start turning. “By the way, is she going to be there?” Nancy hoped her question sounded casual.

“Nope. We’re safe, but if there’s a body of water in the immediate vicinity of the restaurant, can I ask you not to throw anyone else into it during this dinner?”

“Fine, but if I see another woman draped all over you, all bets are off.”

“I have a feeling that’s the best promise I can get out of you,” Ned chuckled ruefully.  “Now, I have to shower and get dressed, but I could probably have time for a quickie, if you’re into it?” he asked, playfully tweaking one of her erect nipples. 

“Well, I wouldn’t want to make you late for work…” However Nancy was going to finish the sentence was lost as he replaced his hand with his mouth. “Yeah, okay," she squealed breathlessly as he dipped one finger in the hollow of her sex and found her already wet. “Something tells me that you won’t have a problem being done within five minutes, Nickerson.”

“Hey!” He looked up to fix her with a mock glare. “Just for that, I’ll make it four minutes, Drew.”

“Still one minute more than the norm,” she joked.

“Just for that, I’ll finish in one stroke.”

\--

Despite his teasing, Ned made sure that they were both satisfied during their quick interlude. Afterwards, they took a shower, and Nancy hurriedly applied her makeup so she wouldn’t be in his way in the bathroom as he got ready for work. He was going to drive them to his office, where she could take the car for the day for her shopping expedition. 

As she shrugged into dark jeans and a light blue cotton sweater, Nancy watched him dress, noting his obviously expensive new black suit and his Burberry tie. She found it a little foreign, to look at her husband and see a Los Angeles executive in a designer power suit. 

“Nice clothes, Nickerson,” she teased. “Did you do a little shopping?”

Ned shrugged, obviously embarrassed. “I just bought a few things,” he mumbled.  “So, did you figure out where you’re going today?”  

_Interesting how he’s changing the subject,_ she thought. “I found a few places that look good, but I know stuff isn’t exactly cheap out here, and I don’t want to bankrupt us,” she joked. 

“Hey, don’t worry about that at all, baby – buy whatever you want, really,” he insisted. “I know you hate to go to these things, and I appreciate you doing it, so please get something you like.”

“I don’t hate it, Ned. After all, I get to spend time with you,” she pointed out, trying to keep her tone gentle. “It can just be boring when my chief objective is to stand around and look pretty while making small talk with the other women - who only ever seem to want to talk about spas or manicure or other shallow shit, by the way. How come no one else’s wives or girlfriends ever seem to be lawyers or doctors or…”

“Investigators?” The corner of Ned’s mouth crooked up in a smile. 

“Well, if you found another guy married to an investigator, that would be awesome, but you know what I mean.”

“I do, and I’m sorry. But now you know what it’s like when I have to go to your company’s functions and be the boring business guy while everyone else is talking about espionage and secret missions in and out of countries that end in ‘-stan’.”

“Touché,” she murmured. 

“Anyway, I don’t want you to have to look at price tags, baby. Just as long as you don’t spend the equivalent of the down payment for our house in Illinois, we’re good.”

After they both finished getting ready, Nancy and Ned took the elevator down to the parking garage. When Ned stopped in front of a brand-new black luxury convertible, Nancy turned to look at him with surprise. “Ned, are we stealing a Mercedes?” 

Ned chuckled before reaching into his pocket for the keyfob and clicking a button to unlock the car. “No grand theft auto here, babe. This is mine – ours,” he added hastily, opening the small trunk and storing his briefcase inside. 

“What happened to the Acura that you leased when you got out here?” she asked, puzzled. “It was a nice car.” 

“It was, Nan, but I wanted something even nicer, especially since I got that _huge_ bonus for my work on the Instamo account. So, I decided to trade up and go for the Mercedes. Beautiful, isn’t it?” He opened the passenger side door for her and helped her inside, the tang of expensive leather seats filling her nose. 

_Trade up_. Those were the words that Carly had used just before Nancy had thrown her into the pool, and it made Nancy feel slightly sick to have her husband repeat them back to her. _First it’s the car; next, will it be the wife?_ she thought to herself, a lump in her throat.  She slowly buckled her seatbelt as Ned got into the driver’s side and started the car. 

“I know, I know - I should have run it by you first,” Ned was saying. “But, baby, I was driving by the dealership on my way home from work one night, and I couldn’t resist. I had to request this beige interior, and they called me last night to come pick it up. You aren’t pissed, are you?”

Nancy forced herself to shake her head and paste a smile onto her face. “No, of course not. You deserve to splurge on something nice for yourself – after all, you work so hard, baby.” She reached out and patted his hand on the gearshift. 

Ned beamed at her. “Thanks, sweetheart. And, who knows – soon we can probably get you a matching one.  A blue one, if you’re really good.” He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

She giggled, knowing that was the response he expected from her. Ned pulled out of the garage and began the drive to his office. 

“So, what is it that you want to do while you’re out here? I know you’ve done the touristy stuff before, but did you have anything in mind? Museums, Santa Monica Pier, Catalina Island, maybe Malibu?”

“Honestly? I don’t care, as long as I get to have time with you. All I want is to spend our days together and do fun things, then come back to the apartment so I can make us a nice dinner. Or, on the days you have to work, see you when you come home and just watch TV or go to the movies. 

“Afterwards, I want us to make love and wake up in each other’s arms, knowing that neither of us has to get on a plane the next day.” Nancy felt tears gathering again and tried her best not to let them fall. “That’s all I want, Ned,” she told him in a low voice. 

Ned reached over and clasped her hand in his own. “Don’t cry, baby – you just got here, and we have lots of time to be together! I want to do everything you just said – especially making love. I want to do that a lot.”

Nancy chuckled and squeezed his fingers. “But that’s not what I want this entire time to be about, Ned. I mean, yeah, I’ve been dying for you, but I want us to connect emotionally, too. We’ve been lovers and spouses for a while now, but we’ve been best friends for even longer, and I just need to spend time with my best friend. Lately when we have been able to steal time together, we’ve spent most of it in bed without really talking. And when we do talk, it turns into arguing.” She found it was easier to say these things when she wasn’t looking at him. 

He glanced at her briefly, a soft smile turning his lips upwards. “That sounds so perfect, Nan. I want us to have fun – we haven’t really done that in a long time. And, can you promise me something? Well, two things, actually?”

Nancy felt her stomach clench, dreading what he was about to ask her. “What?”

“That we won’t argue while you’re out here - no accusations, no recriminations…”

“Okay,” she replied slowly. “And the second thing?”

“That you’ll keep an open mind about the possibility of living here with me?  Maybe now that you’ll be here for more than a few days, you can get the sense for what it would really be like. Can I ask you to do that?”

Nancy’s sense of dread increased, but she kept her tone neutral. “That seems fair,” she told him. She wondered if he noticed that she hadn’t really committed to anything. 

Once they arrived at his office, Ned got out of the car and Nancy slid into the driver’s seat, closing the door. “You’ll love how this thing handles, babe,” he boasted. 

“Careful – you may not get it back the rest of the time you’re here,” she teased. “So, what time am I picking you up tonight?”

“Oh, yeah – can you drive yourself over there?  I have a feeling that we’re going to be working on the proposal right down to the wire, so I’m not even sure what time to even tell you to come over. I thought I’d just ask one of the guys to drive me so I can meet you there. Is that okay?” He was carefully studying Nancy’s face for her reaction. 

She was disappointed and slightly anxious at the idea of walking in alone, but forced herself to give him a grin. “Sure – just text me the name and address of the place?”

“Thanks for being so understanding, baby,” Ned said, sounding relieved. “I’ll call you later, okay?” He leaned down through the open window and gave her a quick kiss. “And maybe this week we’ll find out what it’s like to fuck in the backseat of an expensive German automobile.” He raised his eyebrows in an exaggerated leer, and Nancy giggled. 

“See you later, Ned.” She kissed him back and waved goodbye before pulling out of the parking lot. 

\-- 

When Nancy pulled up in front of the restaurant’s valet station that night, she was actually glad that she was driving the Mercedes; the valets had all but snubbed the driver of the Buick in front of her. After grabbing her evening purse and her sheer gold chiffon wrap, she got out of the car and walked into the restaurant, stopping at the maître d’ stand. When the tall blonde hostess directed her to the room where the dinner was being held, Nancy first made a detour to the ladies’ room so she could make sure that she looked perfect for Ned, his co-workers, and his clients. 

She checked her image in the long mirror of the restroom, turning from side to side to make sure that her kelly green ruched halter dress with the gold beading at the collar and waist were as flattering as the saleswoman had insisted. Nancy had been hesitant about the shockingly expensive strappy gold stiletto sandals that she had paired with the shockingly expensive dress, but after she’d imagined how Ned would react when she stood before him wearing them and her tiny thong, she’d decided to splurge. 

Sighing, she pushed open the door to the restroom and braced herself as she saw one of Ned’s direct reports, Kesey. She vaguely remembered Ned warning her about his predatory ways, and she was unsurprised when Kesey fixed his gaze on her legs and then her breasts before it finally reached her face. 

“Hey, if it isn’t Nancy Nickerson,” he greeted her. “Looking as hot as ever, I see. Nice to see you - how’ve you been?”

Nancy plastered a grin onto her face. “Fine, thanks. It’s nice to be here. Have you seen my husband, by any chance?”

“Last I saw him, he was still at the office, trying to get Heather to send out the completed proposal – it came down to the wire, but we finally finished. Hey, you look like you could use a drink – what can I get you?”

“Um, champagne cocktail, please?” she asked as Kesey placed his hand on her elbow to steer her towards the private dining room. 

“No problem.” Once he had ordered drinks at the bar in the private room where the dinner was being held, he presented hers to her with a flourish. “Hey, I don’t know if I already said it, but you look great - Nickerson’s a damn lucky man.”  Nancy could tell that he meant to smile at her, but it more closely resembled a leer. 

“Thanks,” she said lightly, trying to resist the urge to slap him. She didn’t know why Ned’s coworkers and clients seemed to bring out her violent side, but she made her best attempt to tamp down the feeling. “Remind him of that the next time you see him, will you?”

“I won’t have to wait long for that – here he is now,” Kesey replied, pointing his highball glass toward the direction of Ned’s approaching figure. 

“Hey, baby, sorry I’m late,” Ned greeted her, and she was amused when he gave her a slightly lingering kiss on the lips, rather than one on the cheek. It appeared that he was marking his territory as a warning to Kesey. “You look gorgeous, Nan.”

“That’s what I told her,” Kesey interjected, looking slightly nervous at the expression in Ned’s eyes. “I said that you were lucky as hell to have a wife this hot.”

“Normally, I’d accuse you of sucking up to the boss, but since your words are completely accurate in this case, I’ll let it go.” 

“Thanks – hey, I think I see Jack over there. Let me go say hi.”

When Kesey had left, Ned turned to Nancy and took both of her hands in his. “I’m so sorry I was late, honey. It killed me having to work while I knew you were waiting here for me, looking so damn sexy. Those shoes…” He leaned forward to place his mouth next to her ear. “Yeah, you are definitely going to keep them on later when we’re in bed.”

Nancy shivered at his words and the feel of his breath against her ear. Her response was cut off by Ned’s other coworkers coming up to them to say hello. 

After more small talk during the cocktail hour, during which Nancy was forced to smile and giggle at the appropriate points, they all made their way to the long table that had been set up in the center of the room. She was relieved to be able to sit – her feet were killing her in the sky-high heels – and felt even better when Ned took the chair next to hers. 

Once they were seated and gave their drink orders, the conversation resumed. “So, what is it that you do, Nancy?” Melissa, the petite blonde sitting across from her, asked. She was the client’s wife, and Nancy had remembered to be extra-charming and gracious to her earlier, keeping in mind that her goal that evening was to be the perfect example of an up-and-coming executive’s wife. Actually, Melissa had seemed fairly friendly and reminded Nancy somewhat of Bess, which made it easier to warm to her. 

“Actually, I’m an investigator.”  Nancy raised her fresh cocktail and took a sip, waiting for the reaction. The group didn’t disappoint - heads turned her way in interest. 

“Wow, really?” Melissa replied interestedly. “Like what kind of stuff do you investigate? Cheating husbands? Whether those purses they sell at the salon are really by Fendi?”  The group tittered.

_Potential terrorists bent on destroying the world. Spies selling government secrets to the highest bidder. Rogue agents with mysterious agendas,_ she thought to herself. Putting on a bright smile, Nancy kept her answer deliberately vague. "Sometimes. Mostly stuff like embezzlement, corporate espionage, things like that.” 

Derek, the Senior VP at the company that had been giving Ned’s firm such anxiety, had been listening intently to his wife’s questions.  “And Ned tells me that you’re still based out of Illinois?” he asked. 

Nancy nodded, feeling slightly uncomfortable that everyone now seemed to be focused on her. “Yes, that’s true. I kept my job with the agency I work for in Chicago, but my position requires a good amount of travel, so I’m not home a lot. Ned and I try to meet on weekends either here or there in L.A.” 

Ned must have sensed her discomfort, because he cut in. “She’s great at what she does, and it made sense for her to stay put – for a while, anyway.” Nancy flashed him a grateful smile and tried to ignore the implication about a change to their arrangement. 

“So, tell us, Nancy,” Kesey leaned in closely from the chair on her other side, his tone entirely too flirtatious. “Are you licensed to carry a gun, and if so, are you armed now?” 

“Yes to your first question, and as for your second…Don’t do anything to make me show you.” She capped off her response with an overly sweet smile, making the group laugh. 

Ned chuckled and looped an arm around her shoulders. “Nan also has a black belt in Judo. She could seriously kick your ass, Kesey.”

“That’s kinda hot. No wonder you could take down Carly so quickly,” 

Nancy flushed and shifted in her chair, again uncomfortable. Ned patted her thigh under the table with his other hand in a gesture of reassurance, but she was still embarrassed.  She also didn’t miss the warning glance he shot at Kesey – Nancy knew that her husband would definitely address the inappropriate comment later. 

 “So, how did you and Ned meet?” the black-haired woman next to Melissa asked. Nancy remembered her name was Jasmine, and she was the wife of the client VP named Aaron. 

“Actually, on one of my cases,” Nancy told her. “I was an amateur detective while I was still in high school –“

“Ooh, like Veronica Mars?”  the young-looking Jasmine interjected. 

Nancy nodded, chuckling. “Yes, and I happened to run into Ned at the scene of a crime. Don’t worry – he didn’t commit it,” she added teasingly.

When the laughter died down, Ned picked up the story. “Nan and I went to different high schools; otherwise, we might never have met. She stopped to check out a house fire because she thought it could be arson; I stopped to help direct traffic and wound up checking out the beautiful redhead who was checking out the fire. And the rest is history.” He gave her a sweet look and squeezed her shoulders; she responded by gently nudging his foot with hers under the table. _This is what we used to be like_ , she thought, sighing internally. A _ffectionate and relaxed – content._

“So, Melissa, what do you do?” Nancy asked, again trying to shift the focus off her and Ned. 

“Well, I’m originally from Milwaukee, so I understand not wanting to leave the Midwest.  I came out here to go to USC as an undergrad, which is where I met Derek. I’m an entertainment lawyer – I represent various musicians and actors who need assistance with contract negotiations. Sounds glamorous, I know, but it’s actually dull and dry most of the time. So, tell us about some of your cases, Nancy – your work sounds like much more fun than mine.”

Resigned, Nancy began relaying stories about some of her more memorable cases, getting murmurs of surprise and big laughs when she talked about Ned’s engagement to Jessica Thorne, the time she was accidentally poisoned, and how she had been accused of swindling when a lookalike imposter had been working to get back at her father. 

Once dinner and dessert had ended, the couples began getting up to dance on the small floor set up in the room next to the one where they had eaten. Knowing Ned’s weakness for dancing, Nancy pulled him onto the floor and enjoyed the feel of his arms around her as they swayed to the music.

“You seem like you’re having a good time tonight, Nan,” Ned murmured, his lips against her ear. 

“Actually, I am,” she replied, surprised to find that it was true. “I know her husband has been driving you nuts, but Melissa’s actually been nice to talk to – smart and professional, and a Midwesterner, like us. And the rest of the group has been fine, too. Except Kesey, of course.”

“Yeah, he’s kind of a pain in the ass, but I have to admit that he’s good at what he does. That’s why I’ve kept him on. Although, he will get an earful from me at some point about the way he was ogling you. And about the Carly comment.” Ned smiled at Rower and his latest girlfriend as they passed them on the dance floor. “And now that everyone’s getting to know you, I can tell they’re crazy about you, which doesn’t surprise me at all. I know I’ve said it before, but thank you for this.” He leaned in to give her a brief kiss. 

“What are wives for?” she responded lightly. Even though she hated the idea of being seen as a trophy wife, she was glad that Ned was still proud of showing her off. 

“I hope they’re for taking home and ripping off clothes and doing against the nearest flat surface,” he whispered. “With those shoes on, of course.” They both looked down at her feet as Nancy felt the familiar spark of desire start to kick in at his words.  “You look sexy as fuck, Nan.”

“You’re not so bad yourself in that suit, Nickerson,” she whispered back. “And you’re even better out of it.” 

“God, I hope that this evening wraps up soon because I really can’t wait much longer to be inside you.” 

Nancy shivered at the thought.  “Can’t you do something?” she asked, almost desperately.

“Short of paying the band to stop playing, no,” he sighed ruefully. “But I think that everyone on my team is wiped out from working on that damn presentation, so we may get our wish soon.” 

“Good – just as long as you aren’t.”

\--

After another forty minutes, the group started to break up and everyone started to leave.  As Nancy and Ned waited for their car at the valet station, Derek stopped them to say goodbye. 

“My wife’s in the restroom and sent me out here to wait for the car – she’s clearly the boss in our relationship. Ned, I’m sure that you can relate,” he teased with a wink. Ned and Nancy both chuckled. “And I know we’ve been making things tough on you and your team, but it’s just because we know what you guys are capable of.”

Ned was exhausted after working almost non-stop on Derek’s proposal, and all he really wanted to do was get Nancy home and out of that clingy little green dress, but he forced himself to put on a pleasant expression. “We just want to make sure we give you exactly what it is you’re looking for, Derek. We hope that our latest version does that; if not, we’ll continue to work with you to get it right.”

Derek chuckled. “Spoken like a true professional. Nancy, your husband here definitely has a great future ahead of him in advertising – I’ve been in my business for a while now, and I haven’t come across someone in his field with his knowledge and dedication in a very long time.”

Ned stood up straighter at Derek’s compliments, thrilled by the glow on Nancy’s face upon hearing them. “I know I’m prejudiced, but I also know that Ned’s the best there is,” she replied loyally. 

“Oh, and my wife really liked you, too, Nancy. Melissa hates when I drag her to these things and she has to talk with the other wives about nail polish and shoes and celebrity gossip all night. But she found you very smart and interesting. She and I very much look forward to seeing the both of you once my company signs the agreement with Ned’s firm. 

“Oh, there’s my car,” Derek said, looking up when a silver Porsche pulled up in front of the valet stand. “Good night, Nancy. Ned, you’ll be hearing from me on the latest proposal by end of day Monday.” 

Melissa exited the restaurant and hurriedly got into the passenger seat of the Porsche, enthusiastically waving to Nancy and Ned as Derek pulled away. 

Once Derek left, Nancy and Ned turned to each other, and Ned couldn’t stop the huge grin from spreading across his face. 

“Baby, I think you hit a home run!” she squealed, giving him a wide smile. “Sounds like you won Derek over!” She gave him a hug and a kiss. 

“Sure sounds like it, but I won’t believe it until I see the signed contract,” Ned told her, trying to stay calm. “If he does agree to sign with us, though… This’ll be fucking huge, Nan. I mean it.” 

Nancy continued to beam at him, and the expression on her face made him feel like he was capable of doing absolutely anything: leaping over tall buildings in a single bound didn’t feel like it would be outside of the realm of possibilities. “I’m so proud of you, sweetheart,” she told him, her eyes glowing. 

“You were my lucky charm, baby – with you here by my side and the impression you made on his wife, Derek couldn’t say no. This is why I need you with me, beautiful. You make everything better.”

Ned loved it when she blushed like that – it made her look shy and sweet and unbelievably sexy, all at the same time. He couldn’t believe that after all of this time, she still didn’t quite get how much of an impact she had on him, and on his life.  

Watching her laugh and chat with their dinner companions, her beautiful blue eyes warm and lively, he had been struck yet again by just how gorgeous and vibrant she was, and how much he missed having her as part of his daily life.  When she had brushed her foot against his or subtly quirked up one eyebrow in response to what someone else had said, Ned had enjoyed having her there to make those little asides and shared jokes. It was like having the other half of his brain and heart there to complete him. 

When the valet pulled up in Ned’s Mercedes, he gave him a generous tip before pulling out of the driveway and heading back to the apartment. 

“Sure you’re okay to drive, baby?” Nancy asked dreamily, stretching and yawning in the passenger seat. 

Ned was trying to concentrate on the still-busy streets but he felt the slightest bit distracted at the sight of his wife’s breasts straining against the close-fitting material of her dress as she contorted herself into another stretch. “Hmm? Oh, yeah, I’m fine,” he replied as her words registered. “I only had one drink during cocktail hour and one glass of wine with dinner, so I’m cool. But the question is – will you be awake when we get home?”

“Depends – why don’t you tell me what you plan on doing to me when we get there?” she replied flirtatiously. 

“Mmmmmm, well, let me see…I seem to remember you buying a set of blindfolds and restraints during one of your New York trips, but we never seemed to get the chance to use them. What do you think, baby?”

Ned gave a start as Nancy leaned across the gearshift and placed her flattened palm against his rising cock. “Well, the very idea of it seems to be getting you hard,” she cooed. “So maybe I’ll ask you to keep talking.”

He shivered as she began to rub her hand across his crotch. “Well, I had an idea of maybe stripping you out of that very sexy dress, then tying you to the bed, where the only things on you would be those ridiculously hot shoes and a blindfold…Then I’ll do stuff to you that makes you scream.” It was getting more and more difficult to focus on his driving as she continued to move her palm over him.  

“That sounds so good,” she told him throatily. “What kind of stuff?”

Ned shook his head. “If I tell you, then you won’t be surprised when I do it. I want to be able to touch you and put my mouth on you where and when you won’t be expecting it.” 

He loved how she squirmed in her seat, unable to restrain herself at the thought of what he was describing. 

Ned pushed the edge of the speed limit the rest of the way home, so strong was his desire to get her in bed. He was half tempted to pull over in the nearest parking lot and fuck her in the backseat, like he had teased about earlier, but he made himself keep driving. 

A long thirty minutes later, Ned was pulling into his parking space at the apartment, and both he and Nancy scrambled to take off their seatbelts and get out of the car. The minute the elevator doors closed behind them, he backed her into the wall and pinned her arms above her head, kissing down her neck as he pushed his hips against hers. 

“Are you going to make it upstairs, or are we going to give the security guards a good show?” she whispered into his ear, nodding towards the cameras planted in the ceiling of the car. 

“Upstairs – I wasn’t kidding about those restraints, baby,” he told her in a rough voice. However, he slid his hand under the skirt of her dress, and Nancy bit back a moan as his palm skimmed the already damp crotch of her thong. 

Once the elevator arrived at their floor, Nancy and Ned stumbled out of the car and all but ran to the apartment. Ned broke contact only long enough to fish his key out of his pocket and fit it into the lock. The moment they were inside, Ned reached for the side zipper of her dress and pulled it down in one motion. 

Disappointed that the dress didn’t pool at her feet, he clumsily grabbed at the clasps at the top of the zipper. Nancy chuckled at his noise of impatience and pushed his hands away, and Ned was pleased when the garment fell to the floor, leaving her in a thong that could be only described as strings and a tiny triangle. 

“God, if I had known that was all you were wearing underneath that dress, we would’ve snuck out to the restroom and fucked after the salad course,” he told her, a wicked gleam in his eye.

“And come back to the table all mussed up and smelling of sex?” she laughed. “That would’ve made some impression on the group, baby. Anyway, I don’t want to talk anymore – I want you to take off that suit, tie me to the bed, blindfold me, then give me a good fucking.” 

Ned loved the way her she stood with her back straight and her head up, proudly displaying her virtually naked body to him as she resumed the dirty talk. Sometimes, he still couldn’t believe how his once-shy, virginal wife had become so free and uninhibited sexually. He was already turned on, but he felt himself get even harder. 

Unable to wait any longer, he tugged on her hand and led her to the bedroom, allowing her to strip him out of his suit and underwear as he toed out of his shoes. He yanked down the strings at her hips, then helped her shove the thong off. 

“Get on the bed and spread your arms and legs,” he told her. 

Nancy did as she was told and watched as he walked over to her nightstand drawer and took out the unopened package of restraints and a blindfold. After quickly tearing through it, he knelt on the bed and tied first her left wrist, then her right, to the slats of the headboard. It reminded him of when she had used the fur-lined handcuffs on him and had teased him for what felt like hours before she finally sucked him off and rode him. The memory of it actually caused his balls to ache. 

Once Ned had fastened her ankles to the bedposts, he knelt back on his haunches to survey his handiwork. Seeing her completely open to him like that, her pink inner flesh already gleaming from its wetness, was like a dirty fantasy come to life; he couldn’t wait to hear her cries of delight when he put the blindfold on her and she could only feel him without seeing anything. First, though, he had to make sure she was okay. “Too tight, baby? Are they hurting you?”

Nancy shook her head. “I’m good.”

“If you need me to loosen them, let me know. And remember to use the safe word if you’re freaked out, okay?”

She smiled at him. “Don’t worry – we’re good. Blindfold, please. I think you can already tell that I’m turned on.” Nancy pointed her chin at first her erect nipples, then the slick folds of her sex. 

“I can, and it’s hot as fuck, baby,” Ned growled. He leaned over her to slip the satin blindfold over her eyes, making sure that they were completely covered. Sliding his tongue between her lips, he kissed her fiercely, enjoying how she arched to brush her breasts against his chest. 

Nancy groaned loudly when he suddenly broke off the kiss and climbed off her. Ned sat back again to decide where to make his next move, and quickly darted forward to suckle at the tender flesh of her inner thighs. Pulling back once more, he hesitated before planting feather-soft kisses over her hips and navel. 

Enjoying the soft whimpering sounds she was making, Ned continued the stop-and-start game, this time rubbing the stubble of his chin over the hardened tips of her nipples before plunging his tongue into her pussy. Nancy got louder and louder as he explored her clit with his tongue, but as quickly as he had started eating her out, he just as quickly moved away to suck a hickey at her neck. 

“You’re going to kill me, aren’t you?” she moaned. “Death by foreplay.”

By this time, Ned had moved down to brush the top of his head against the tops of her thighs, dropping kisses over her knees. “You were amazing tonight,” he murmured, enjoying her shiver as he let his tongue stray over the back of her kneecap. 

“You were the amazing one, baby,” she whispered back. “All strong and sexy and in command…it was incredible, how the other guys deferred to you and how Derek and his team were so impressed by you. God, I already wanted you, but seeing that made me even hotter for you.”

Ned reached in the bedside table for the lube, coating his finger before dipping it into the cleft of her ass.  

Nancy squealed in surprise, then uttered a low moan. “Mmmm, God, only you could make me like that, I swear,” she told him.  

When he withdrew his finger, she sighed loudly. “How hard are you right now, baby?” she purred. “I can’t see, so you’re going to have to tell me.”

“Like a fucking rock,” he growled. “Hard and ready for you, baby.”

Nancy smiled. “Then what are you waiting for? Get inside me already.”

“And waste this perfectly good opportunity to do this?” Ned sucked on one of her hard nipples while simultaneously pushing fingers into her pussy and her rear. 

“Ohmygod,” she moaned. “Mmm, it’s always so hot when you do that, but when I can’t tell it’s coming? Oh!” she gasped as he pushed his fingers in deeper. Just as her hips began to twitch, he suddenly pulled out again, running his tongue down her breastbone and circling her navel. 

“Good, baby?” 

“Ned,” she said, her voice quivering plaintively, “Ned, _please_.”

“What, baby? What do you want?” he asked as he slid his stubble-lined cheeks against the sensitive skin at the inside of her thighs. 

“I want you to get inside me,” she sighed. “Please, baby. I want you so badly.”

“Soon, sweetheart,” he promised. “I just want to do this.” He used the very tip of his tongue to lightly trace her clit.  

Nancy made a high, keening sound, her hips thrusting almost violently, the restraints at her ankles starting to become taut. “How the fuck are you able to hold out this long?” she whined. “I can’t stand it.”

“Tell me again, Nan,” he commanded. “Say it.”

“I want you to fuck me and fuck me hard,” she rasped. “Ned, stop playing and fuck me. But first please undo my ankles?”

Ned hesitated. He was beyond aroused at the sight of her spread-eagled on the bed, but the idea of her long legs wrapped around him, those ridiculously sexy shoes digging into him as they fucked was too tempting to resist. “Fine,” he acquiesced. “But you had better not try to pull away or you’ll be sorry.”

Nancy’s lips turned up in a coy grin. “Trust me, baby, the last thing I want is to get further away from you,” she purred. 

Ned rolled over and unfastened the ties at her ankles, and Nancy let out an audible sigh when her legs were free. Ned pushed her thighs apart and gave one more lick at her clit before he crawled on top of her and plunged all the way into her. 

“Oh, yeah, that’s it,” Nancy moaned huskily. She wrapped her legs around his waist in a tight grip as her hips rose and fell to meet his. “Mmm, so fucking good.”

“God, you’re so wet,” he told her. “I could taste it, but feeling it against my cock now? Fucking incredible.” He thrust even harder so that her breasts bounced, wincing when she moved her feet so that the points of her high heels pressed into his ass and the backs of his thighs. 

“Touch me,” she panted. “I can’t put my hand between us, but you can.” Ned obeyed her command and slipped one hand between her legs to stroke her clit as he fucked her. “Mmm, perfect.”

Ned could feel himself sweating at the exertion and didn’t know if he could hold out much longer. “Baby, please tell me you’re close,” he begged. “I have been holding back for so long, and I can’t wait much longer.”

Her laugh turned into a loud moan when Ned began rubbing her clit more firmly. “Oh, God, I’m almost there, but I wish I could see you right now – that intense look you get when you’re about to come. How you’re so focused on me – so damn hot.”

“Baby, there could be an earthquake right now and I still wouldn’t stop – that’s how focused I am,” he told her, giving another hard thrust as he leaned down to lick at her nipples. “Just please come for me, Nancy. “

The combination of his mouth and hands on her as he continued to pound into her in deep, firm strokes was what finally pushed her over the edge and she screamed as her orgasm broke. Relieved, Ned let himself give in, letting out a loud, deep moan as he came. 

Exhausted, Ned collapsed on top of Nancy. “Thank God – I would not have lasted another minute.”

With his ear pressed against her chest, he could feel the rumble of her chuckle. “I’m shocked you lasted as long as you did. It was amazing, by the way – kinda like torture, but the best possible kind.”

Ned rubbed his chin against the soft flesh of her breasts, enjoying her squeal of surprise. “It was fun to be able to do it. Want the blindfold off now?”

“Yes, please,” she replied playfully. 

He sat up with a loud groan, leaning over her to remove the restraints and blindfold. Once she was free, Nancy sat up also, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and kissing him deeply. “Hmm, that was the only thing that was missing,” she murmured against his lips. 

“I kissed you!” Ned protested. “When we first started, I kissed you.”

“I know, but I’m a greedy girl and I wanted more,” Nancy told him, ruffling his hair with her hands as she shifted to sit Indian-style. “Even after all of this time, I still love kissing you.”

He smiled at her. “Me, too – even though I’m now allowed to do much more with you, I still like this.” Ned brushed his lips against hers. 

“Maybe before you fuck me again, we kiss first?”

Ned raised one eyebrow. “That sure we’re going to do it again, are you?”

“Well, since you’re already half-hard,” she told him, her blue eyes dancing as she dropped her gaze to his lap, “excuse me, more than half, I thought we’d definitely fuck again.”

Dipping one finger between her thighs, Ned held it up and examined it. “And since you’re wet, my love, I think we’d better get to it right away.”  He loved how she squealed as he dove on top of her and buried his face into her neck. 

\--

On Monday morning, Lyndsey called Ned to tell him that Derek loved the proposal, and he had been so impressed by Ned’s work that he wanted him to head up his account. In addition, she gleefully relayed, Derek had asked to have Ned’s team develop additional campaigns for other product lines in other divisions. As a result, she told Ned that he could expect another large bonus, a raise, and further discussions with the other partners about the next step in his career. 

Ned already had requested the day off; now, Lyndsey was glad to give him a few extra vacation days that week so he could spend the time with Nancy - with the provision that he’d make himself available for a few conference calls here and there. 

After the call had ended, an overjoyed Ned filled Nancy in on the details of his conversation. She appeared to be as excited as he was, crowing about how she knew he was a superstar, but Ned could have sworn that he had also detected some sadness in Nancy’s expression when she thought he wasn’t looking at her.  

_You must be imagining it,_ he told himself. Ned nodded enthusiastically when she offered to make him a huge celebratory breakfast after they showered. _See, she is happy for you_.  He quickly scrambled out of bed to join her in the bathroom. 

\--

Nancy and Ned spent their Wednesday at Manhattan Beach, lazily lounging on beach towels while they watched the blue-green waves of the Pacific crash onto the white sand. Ned rubbed suntan lotion on her every thirty minutes or so, and each time Nancy would giggle as he let his hands roam just under the edges of her bikini, reluctantly pushing him away so they wouldn’t get arrested for public indecency like they almost had in Paris. 

When the sun got too hot, they played in the waves and chased each other, just like they used to when they were teenagers. When she mentioned she was hungry, Ned bought her an ice cream cone and she playfully swatted him away as he tried to steal licks between teasing comments about how her tongue worked at the ice cream. 

Nancy honestly couldn’t remember feeling this relaxed and serene in a very long time. The time she had spent in California so far had been almost perfect. Chicago, Onyx, and the incident with Frank felt light-years away, and her stress melted more with each passing day. 

Smiling, she recalled their visit to Santa Monica Pier the day before, where she had clung to Ned on the roller coaster and they had repeatedly crashed their bumper cars into each other. They had feasted on hot dogs, French fries and lemonade for dinner, and she told him that it was the best meal she’d had in ages. Afterwards, they had gone back to the apartment and made slow, lazy love for hours. When she had lain in his arms afterwards, spent, she had felt tears build in her eyes at the thought of their perfect day coming to an end. Nancy couldn’t even begin to imagine what it would feel like when she had to leave him and go back to work with the Hardys– even the idea of seeing Frank again made her stomach clench. 

“Baby, are you okay?” Ned now asked, turning his face towards hers. He reached out a hand to gently stroke her hair. “You seem kind of lost in thought.”

“I’m fine, sweetheart,” she told him, fixing a smile onto her face. “Just thinking about what a wonderful time I’m having here with you.”

He leaned over and gave her a kiss. “Same here. This has been so nice. Not to campaign too hard, but if you lived here with me, we could do this every weekend.” 

“Mmm," Nancy replied noncommittally. “Hey, I’m getting chilly.” Sitting up, she slipped on her beach cover-up and wrapped her towel around herself. Ned frowned at her not-so-subtle attempt to change the subject, but said nothing. He put his arm around her shoulder and rubbed her to warm her up. 

 “So, baby, had enough sun and fun today?” he asked her, dropping a kiss onto the crown of her head.  She nodded, relieved that he didn’t try to resume the conversation about their living arrangements.  “Then why don’t we go back home to change so I can take you to that restaurant we talked about? If we time it right, we can watch the sunset from our table.”

Nancy didn’t miss that he had referred to the apartment as ‘home,' and it suddenly made her sad. “Sure,” she said, standing up so he couldn’t see the expression on her face. They gathered up their chairs and towels and other belongings and trudged to the car, where they remained quiet throughout the drive back. 

\--

When they arrived at the restaurant, Nancy decided not to let her mood carry over to their dinner. “So, how’d you find out about this place?” she asked as they sat at a table by the windows. From their vantage point, they could see the sun just beginning its descent towards the horizon, the deepening rays reflecting on the gently undulating ocean as the sky started to darken. 

“I asked around in my office for a romantic beach restaurant, and several people suggested we come here. I’ve meant to bring you here before, but it’s never quite worked out.”

Nancy reached across the table to take his hand. “Well, they did a great job, because this place is beautiful.”

“No, you’re beautiful,” he told her in a low voice. “All tan and sexy.” 

Nancy flushed, pleased at his compliments. She had picked the navy and white halter dress and white wedges because they showed off her golden glow, thanks to almost a week in the sun. 

After they had placed their orders and gotten their drinks, Ned suddenly released her hand. “Hey, I have something for you.”

“I’m sure you do,” Nancy replied teasingly. 

Ned grinned. “Not what I was talking about – although, yes, you are definitely getting that later. No, seriously, I have a present for you. I would have loved to give it to you before we went to my client thing, but it wasn’t ready yet.” He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small box wrapped in silver paper and tied with a white ribbon. 

“Ned, you didn’t have to get me anything, silly. Just being with you is enough of a gift – really.”

“I know I didn’t have to, but I wanted to. Now, go on – open it.” 

Nancy hesitated again after undoing the ribbon, but began tearing off the paper when Ned nodded at her eagerly. She found a black jewelry box inside; when she lifted the lid, she actually gasped out loud. Inside was a large pair of diamond-and-sapphire earrings that resembled the ones he had given her the first Christmas after they were married, only on a much larger scale. “Ned,” she breathed. “My God…”

“They reminded me of those tiny ones that I bought you for our first Christmas as husband and wife,” Ned told her, beaming. “Only this time, I could afford the really nice ones.”

“Those _were_ really nice ones, Ned,” she told him gently, tearing her gaze from the jewelry to look at him. 

Nancy watched Ned’s face fall. “Do you not like these earrings, baby? We can take them back tomorrow and I can get you another pair instead…I just wanted you to have something special.”

“No, no – Ned, they’re absolutely _beautiful_ ,” she said hastily. It was true – they were stunning. “Really – so beautiful, and you were so sweet to do this.” She was rewarded with a huge smile. “I just didn’t want you to think that I didn’t cherish the first ones you got me – I wear them all the time because you gave them to me, and they’re beautiful to me, too.”

“I know, sweetheart, and I love that you never care about carat size or shit like that. I just wanted to get you something that shows how much I love you and how grateful I am that you let me come out here and do this. But it’s also part of the reason why I took the job, Nan,” he said earnestly. “With the bonus I already got and the merit increases and bonuses that Lyndsey’s talking about for landing Derek’s account, I’m already on my way to making serious money. And, we’ll be really well-off within a year, honey. 

“We’ll be able to have whatever we want, whenever we want it  – no more scrimping and saving for vacations or cars, or presents," he continued.  “If I want to get you something nice, I can do it. If I want a nice car, I can go out and lease one. And when we have kids, we won’t have to worry about being able to afford things. Nan, all I’ve ever wanted was to be good enough for you, for your dad to think I was good enough for you. And now…now we’re on our way to having everything.”

“But everything won’t mean _anything_ if we get it at the expense of our marriage, Ned!” she blurted out before she could stop herself. “I love that you love your job, but honestly? If you made $200 a week and we had to eat macaroni and cheese from a box and live in that tiny apartment we had when we were first married with that shitty, broken-down furniture that we used to have to replace all of the time, it would still be okay if it meant we’d get to be together!  

“Because I just want _you_ – the rest of it doesn’t matter to me. Remember that first year, when we were thrilled when we were just able to get pizza or go to a movie after scrimping and saving? We were so happy then, Ned, even when we had nothing.” She studied his face, hoping that her words wouldn’t trigger an argument. 

“I understand that, babe,” Ned said, frowning. “And I know that you love me, and it’s not about the money, but still…You grew up as the privileged only daughter of a man who commanded respect and admiration everywhere he went. You’re used to having that kind of life. I just want to be that same kind of man, and I want to be able to give you that security.”

“Baby!” Nancy was shocked by the turn their conversation had taken. In all of the years they had been married, she had never even suspected he felt this way. “Don’t you know that you are already that kind of man, and you always have been?” Her eyes filled with tears. “People love and respect you – everyone you have ever met has been taken by your kindness and intelligence and integrity. I have always been so proud to be with you – as your girlfriend, as your fiancée, as your wife…

“It doesn’t matter to me what you earn or what you do for a living – you don’t need to prove anything to me, or to my father, or to anyone else. I love you, Ned Nickerson, and you are already perfect, just the way you are.”  She reached for her napkin on the table and pressed the cloth under her eyes to staunch the flow of tears. 

“I know, but…” 

“But nothing,” she told him firmly. “Now, I will put on these gorgeous earrings that my wonderful husband has given me, and I will wear them proudly, but I would have worn them just as proudly if they were tiny little diamond chips, like the first ones.” She slid out the earrings she had on and replaced them with the new ones. 

Ned beamed. “They look so beautiful on you, Nan. Just like I thought they would. And I love you, too, baby – so much.”

They sat smiling each other until the waitress came by with their entrees, breaking the spell. While she loved the thoughtfulness of Ned’s gift, it still made Nancy sad to think of the price she was paying for them – having her husband two thousand miles away, with a life very different from hers. 

\--

Ned reluctantly went into the office on Friday morning with the promise to return home by early afternoon so they could go see a movie. Having finally rented her own car to use during her stay, Nancy decided she’d take the free time to go grocery shopping so she could make dinner, just like she told him she’d envisioned. 

As she was putting her phone into her purse to leave the apartment, she heard it ring. Snatching it back, she answered without checking the caller ID. 

“Miss me already, Mr. Nickerson?” she purred in a sultry voice. 

“Uh, Nan, sorry – it’s not Ned,” Frank’s voice answered hesitantly.

“Hey, Frank,” Nancy sighed wearily. She had been dreading this day, when she would have to talk to him again; now she had inadvertently created another awkward situation between them. “When I told you I needed a week, it didn’t mean that you should call me eight days later,” she told him crossly, annoyed that he had again intruded into her time with Ned. She fished in her purse for her sunglasses. 

“I know, Nan, and I know that the way we left things the last time we talked wasn’t great, but I wouldn’t have called you if it wasn’t urgent, I swear. Wait – you secure?”

At the seriousness in Frank’s tone, Nancy sat down on one of the chairs around the tiny kitchen table, her shopping plans forgotten. “Yes, I’m fine – my phone still has the security stuff activated. Now, what happened? Is Joe okay?”

“Yeah, he’s fine – we’re both fine,” he hastily reassured her. “It’s just that we came up with a few more potential names, and they’re currently at the top of our suspect list…”

“Tell me,” Nancy felt herself go into alert mode, her mind already working. She wished she hadn’t spilled out the leftover coffee earlier; extra caffeine would be a big help. 

“Well, after going through our case records and cross-referencing them against financial data, we think that Elena Karova and Alejandro Simeon look pretty damn good right about now.”

Surprised, Nancy sat up straight. “You used the word ‘and’. Do you think they’re working together?” 

“They each came up separately because we worked with them on various missions back in the day – information drops, courier missions, shit like that. They both happened to have worked with all three of us, so Joe and I thought that they deserved to go on the list.” 

“So what puts them at the top of the list, and what makes you think they’re working together?” 

“Well, it seems Karova had a large sum of money transferred to Simeon’s account right around that body was dumped into my bed. Of course, the accounts on both sides were offshore and were set up under dummy corporate entities, but they ultimately traced back to those two.”

“Of course,” she murmured. “Could it be a coincidence, though?”

“That’s what Joe and I originally thought, until we also found another financial transaction linked between the two accounts about three years ago.”

Nancy tried to think. “Hmmm….Three years ago, what were we working on?”

“Wait, let me get Joe on the line with us – he’s making all kinds of gestures at me and, for once, not one of them includes his raised middle finger. Hold on for a sec?” Nancy chuckled in spite of herself. 

“Hey, Nan, how’s California?” Joe’s cheerful voice boomed on the line. “Are you getting an extra-dark tan as you think of us poor idiots cooped up in hotel room in chilly New York?”

“Hey, Joe! Yes, I definitely have much more color than I did when you saw me last,” she confirmed. “So, what’s going on? What did you find?”

 “Around three years ago, there was buzz about potential leaks from senior-level people in national security positions. Our government was frantically trying to ferret out the identities of these people while keeping it hush-hush; meanwhile, every rogue agent out there was also trying to figure out who the hell the mole was so they could be the first in line for the inevitable bidding war for those security secrets.”

“And our friends in the US government hired us on a few occasions  to move files back and forth, both physically and electronically, as a means of catching the potential source of the leaks and/or some of the people who were trying to get to the information that was being leaked,” Nancy finished. “Even back then, we suspected that the stuff we were couriering was some combination of real information and made-up shit planted to lure people out of hiding.”

“Exactly,” Joe stated. “And I’m sure you’re wondering where Karova and Simeon fit into all of this. Well, it looks like they had joined forces back then to potentially pool their considerable resources – financial, technological, intellectual, and otherwise - to give themselves a larger stake in the game.”

“And then they’d each need to hope that they outsmarted the other in the end when they got the information and then inevitably turned on each other. All of this makes sense so far,” she mused. “But why are they coming after us three years?”

Frank cut in. “We can think of a few reasons. First of all, around the time Karova and Simeon got into the game was when our government started aggressively looking for the leaks. So, they probably decided to cut their losses and keep everyone involved on their radar so they could wait it out until things cooled down – a little patience goes a long way. Remember, no one in our government ever actually got caught, so whoever was doing this very quickly learned to make their actions a lot more discreet.  Also, if they’ve been keeping tabs on us, Karova and Simeon know that Joe and I have picked up a lot more government jobs over the last year, more so than other private agents, so they could see this as their golden opportunity.”

“Your theory totally makes sense,” Nancy agreed. “Okay, so, have you found them yet?”

Frank exhaled loudly. “Nope. They seem to have gone underground. We’re still trying to track their whereabouts by following the money; we’re also using our contacts to see if either of them were in Paris when that agent was killed as another way to hunt them down. 

“And, while we think these two are our most likely candidates, we don’t want to completely stop digging into the rest of the people on our list, in case this stuff with Karova and Simeon is some kind of total coincidence – probably not, but stranger things have happened.”

“So, when are you coming back to help us solve this?” Joe asked impishly. “You left kinda quickly …”

_Interesting that Frank hasn’t told his brother about what he did_ , she thought. “Well, I could use some more of this California sun,” she replied, trying to keep her voice light. “Why don’t you see how far you can get in finding Karova and Simeon in, say, another week?”

Joe let out a mock cry of anguish. “A week? Fine, but you had better come back here with some pictures from the beach of hot girls in bikinis, Drew.” 

When Joe had gotten off the phone, Nancy and Frank shared an awkward silence. “So, um, did you mean it when you said you needed another week, Nan?”

“I did,” she told Frank firmly. “Things are really good here, and I can’t leave yet.”

“Okay,” Frank said quickly. “So, unless it’s super urgent, I won’t reach out to you until next week.”

“Good.”

“Thanks, Nan – I hated to interrupt your time with Ned, but –“

“It was important, I know,” she finished his sentence. 

“And I again want to apologize –“

Nancy cut him off again. “Don’t push it, Frank. I’ll talk to you next week.” With that, she disconnected the call. 

\--

Four days later, Nancy was taking the now-familiar step of planning something to occupy her time without Ned, now that he was back at work. As she was mulling over whether she wanted to head to the Getty Museum or just sit and vegetate on the beach, the security system buzzed. Nancy pressed the button to talk to the security guard downstairs. “Yes?”

“FedEx envelope for Nancy Drew Nickerson?”

“I’ll be right down,” she promised. She was hesitant to retrieve the package, but her curiosity got the best of her.  

Ten minutes later, Nancy re-entered the apartment, envelope still unopened. She grasped the tab at the top and pulled it across the seam, reaching inside to fish out a plain sealed white envelope.  Slitting it open with a butter knife, she gasped aloud as she read the enclosed note. 

**_Having fun in Los Angeles with your husband, Nancy? If you and your friends don’t stop searching for me, there’ll be no more frolicking on beaches or dinners at fancy restaurants with your precious Ned - we have the ability to make him disappear forever, just like we did to that agent in Paris._**

**_You have twelve hours to meet me at the location outlined below – there we can discuss just what it is I’m after. If you don’t show, then you can call yourself a widow._**

**_You must come alone. And if you contact the Hardy brothers in any way, then they’ll join Ned in a shallow grave where no one can find them._ **

As Nancy read and re-read the note over and over, she felt herself become physically sick. Rushing to the bathroom, she emptied the contents of her stomach and sat on the floor for a few moments, frantically trying to gather her racing thoughts.  _They know where I am, they know that Ned’s my husband, and they’ve been watching us_ , she thought, feeling the nausea rise again. After a few deep and slow breaths, her agent instincts kicked in and she rose to start making travel plans. 

Before she walked out the door, she grabbed a blank notepad and scribbled a quick message to Ned. 

**_Hey baby,_  
** **_I know this is very short notice, and I’m sorry. I got an urgent call and had to take off. I’m not sure when I’ll be back, but I’ll call you as soon as I can. While I’m gone, can you pick up the following stuff for us?_  
** **_Ice cream_  
** **_Violets and lilies_  
** **_Diet Coke_  
** **_Liquid nitrogen_  
** **_Chips_  
** **_Large metal Thermos_  
** **_Olives_  
** **_A book on helicopters_  
** **__  
****_Love always and forever,_  
** **_Nan_**

  


She carefully placed the note under an empty coffee mug on the center of the kitchen counter, remembering how Ned had fucked her senseless on it the first night she had arrived. Ignoring the pit of dread in her stomach, she grabbed her purse and her jacket and carefully closed the apartment door behind her. 


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter by littlemsmessy.

“Hey Lucy, I’m home!” Ned called, pitching his voice the way he remembered Ricky Ricardo doing the same on old _I Love Lucy_ reruns, as he entered the apartment four hours later. When he didn’t get an answer, Ned yelled again. Loosening his tie, he walked to the bedroom and bathroom, but still didn’t see Nancy. 

“Maybe she got stuck in traffic or lost track of time,” he mused aloud. Ned had tried to talk to her earlier but his calls went straight to voicemail, and he had hoped that it meant she was enjoying herself, wherever she was. The more fun she had out here, the greater likelihood she’d agree to stay for good. He’d tried her one more time on his ride home, but hung up before he could leave another message. 

Shrugging, he went back to the bedroom and quickly changed into jeans and a short-sleeved shirt, glad to be out of his work clothes. He walked to the kitchen to grab a bottle of water from the refrigerator when he saw the piece of paper on the counter. Curious, he lifted the mug and read the note. 

When he was through, Ned’s hands were shaking with a combination of fear and anger. This didn’t feel like a normal situation when Nancy would leave for a case – something was definitely up, especially when she hadn’t told him where she’d be staying or even pretend to give him a timeframe on how long she’d be gone. After she’d been caught in the lie about Boston, Nancy had sworn that she’d be honest with him about her case-related travel plans in the future. 

Shaking his head, Ned scrolled through his cell phone contact list until he got to the number he was looking for. He dreaded having to make the call, but he did it anyway, his fist involuntarily clenching and unclenching as he waited for the person to pick up.

“Frank Hardy here,” came the hesitant response on the other end of the line. 

Ned didn’t even bother with a greeting or the standard niceties. “Hardy, you know I wouldn’t call you if it weren’t absolutely fucking necessary and I still want to rip you from limb to fucking limb, but I need to know if you’ve heard from Nancy.” 

When Frank paused before answering, Ned began pacing the small apartment. 

“No, the last time I talked to her was on Friday. Wait, Joe’s here – let me check to see if she reached out to him.” Ned heard muffled conversation between Frank and Joe in the background, and his heart began pounding in anticipation. "No, he hasn’t heard from her either. Why, what’s going on?”

“Fuck,” Ned snarled. “Hardy, I know this has something to do with that Onyx case you dragged her into, and I already want to beat the shit out of you as it is, so this isn’t helping. I went to work this morning and when I came back, I found a note from her on the counter.” He read the note aloud, becoming even more afraid when Frank was silent after he finished.

“And she didn’t leave any other clues or hints?” Frank pressed.

“No!” Ned snapped back. He walked to the bedroom again and found all of her things in the closet, her toiletries still in the bathroom. “Her suitcase and clothes are still here. The only thing I don’t see is her purse, which I assume she took with her.”

“Damn it,” Frank sighed. “You didn’t call the cops, did you?” he suddenly asked. 

Ned couldn’t refrain from growling at the other man over the phone. “You did not just fucking ask me that, Hardy.”

“Sorry, sorry,” Frank apologized hastily. “I’m not thinking. Okay, read the note to me again?” When Ned complied, Frank exhaled loudly. “What do you think she was referring to with that list?” 

“I have no fucking idea, Hardy. It’s bizarre – olives? Nan knows that I hate them, so she never buys them unless she’s making martinis or something, which I seriously doubt is the case here.”

“Okay…Well, what about the book on helicopters and the liquid nitrogen?”

Ned made a dismissive sound. “I don’t know – she’s always researching weird shit for cases, so that part didn’t seem strange to me like the olives did. I mean, we’re talking about Nancy, here.”

“True,” Frank conceded. “Look, I know you’re upset right now, but do you think that the other stuff on that list could be clues where to find her?”

Ned paused. “Maybe,” he admitted slowly. “Maybe they _are_ connected, somehow…”  He slowly sank onto the cushions of the couch. 

“Some case you guys worked together?” Frank prodded. “Something she talked about to you? Some trip you guys took?”

Lost in thought, Ned drummed his fingers against his denim-clad thigh. “It feels familiar…” He got up to resume his pacing, then halted suddenly, snapping his fingers. “Shit – shit, I have it. Montreal!”

“Montreal?” Frank asked, surprised. “Really?” Ned heard him repeat the word ‘ _Montreal_ ’ in the background, probably to inform Joe. 

“Well, that was where Nan, George, and I went to track down some crazy-ass blackmailer. That was ages ago, though – back when I was still at Emerson, so Nan and I weren’t even engaged yet." _And you were stealing kisses from her every chance you got, even though you had Callie_ , Ned thought sourly but didn’t say it aloud. 

“Someone rigged one of the cabinets in the apartment where were staying so that a Thermos full of liquid nitrogen would fall out once it was opened. Luckily, I saw it just in time, so I was able to knock Nan out of the way before she was blinded or disfigured.”

“Okay, and the rest?”

“We were chasing down the bad guys and a helicopter exploded – which explains the book!”

“All right – so as we’ve been talking, Joe has been hacking, and it probably does have something to do with Onyx –"

“You think?” Ned asked sarcastically. 

Frank continued as if Ned hadn’t spoken. “It looks like one of our chief suspects for Onyx’s identity has recently had some financial transactions take place in Montreal, so it makes sense. So since it’s Onyx, they probably used some kind of threat to lure Nan there – like ‘tell no one and show up, or we’ll hurt someone’. That would explain why she didn’t contact any of us or send any kind of email or text for anyone to intercept or track.  Probably also why she left an encrypted note, in case someone came by and found it. “

“Great, thanks for the information, ‘cause I wasn’t already scared shitless,” Ned muttered. 

“Look, Joe and I are still in New York, but we can get on a plane to Montreal within two hours. Maybe she left some kind of tracks somewhere. While we’re traveling, we can comb through what we know so far and see if we can pick up any kind of hints. We’ll call you as soon as we land, Ned.”

“Fuck that, “Ned snarled. “I’m meeting you there.”

“Ned, I know you’ve helped with cases before and you’re a really smart guy –"

Ned had had enough. “Hardy, you better knock it off with that patronizing bullshit,” he told the other man, the fury in his voice barely restrained. “I’m going to help you find my wife, and that’s the end of it. I’ll call you as soon as I get to Montreal and you can tell me where to meet you. And let me tell you right now – if you think about ignoring my calls, I will seriously fuck you up later. In the meantime, I‘ll call a few other people to see if they’ve maybe heard from her.” He disconnected the call before Frank could continue to try to dissuade him from his plan. 

Angrily stalking back to the bedroom, Ned began searching Nancy’s things for any kind of suggestion about where she could be. Coming up empty, he let out a huge sigh of frustration. 

He was about to search for flights to Montreal when his cell phone rang. He hurriedly picked up, praying that it signaled news about Nancy, but was disappointed when it was Lyndsey on the other end.

“Hey, Ned, I know you just left here not that long ago, but we’re calling everyone back in for an emergency meeting. The Instamo people are flipping out about the social media pop-up ads we’re supposed to roll out at the end of this week, even though they already blessed them. We need everyone to come in and start brainstorming because we promised them we’d have another proposal to them by noon tomorrow. I know Nancy’s still in town and I hate to do this to you, but I’m going to need you to come back to the office.”

Ned winced, hating what he was going to have to do next. However much he loved his job, there was no question as to what his priority would be right now. “Lyndsey, I know that this is critical and I’m responsible for getting my team to create the new pitches, but I can’t come in right now.” 

Lyndsey was silent for a moment before speaking. “Is there something wrong? Because this isn’t like you at all, Ned.”

He debated what to tell her, then decided to go with the truth. A watered-down version of it, anyway. “I can’t give you details, but I think Nancy’s in danger,” he said in a low voice. “It could be nothing, and I could be overreacting, but I don’t think I am.”

“Wow – Ned… Are you sure?”

“No," he said frankly. “But I have a feeling, and I can’t just sit around and do nothing. I have to go see if I can find her.”

“I know you have more experience with this kind of thing since you’re married to Nancy, but don’t you think you should let the police handle it?” she asked gently.

“No police!” he retorted sharply, biting his tongue as he heard the words come out. He forced himself to soften his tone. “Sorry, Lyndsey – I’m sorry. But the kind of stuff Nancy usually gets involved in doesn’t involve the local police. And since she hasn’t been gone 24 hours, they won’t do anything now, anyway.”

“Okay, well, I’m sure you know better than I do…Be careful, and let me know if we can do anything to help.”

“Thanks, Lyndsey – I’m really sorry about…”

“Don’t worry about it, Ned,” she interrupted. “Just go find your wife and bring her back safe and sound. We’ll talk when you get back. Oh, and keep me posted, okay?”

When he heard Lyndsey disconnect the call, Ned slowly lowered the phone to his side before raising it again to start looking for flights online. 

\-- 

Nancy was beginning to doubt the wisdom of her plan to meet Onyx alone without letting anyone know. She prayed that Ned would be able to decipher the clues she had left for him in her note; even if he had, though, it still wouldn’t tell him where in Montreal to find her. 

When she had followed the instructions from Onyx, they had led her to a train station. She had located the trash can where they had planted her next clue, which led her to a small café. The next clue was stashed on a bulletin board. Upon following it, she had found herself in a building that appeared to be going through renovations. From the outside, it looked like the site would include luxury apartments and condos; inside, though, it was clear that the construction was far from complete.  She had taken the elevator up to the penthouse level, as instructed in the missive they had sent her, fingers crossed that the car wouldn’t stop mid-way up.

Once she had arrived on the top floor, she had knocked on the steel door at the end of the hallway, which appeared to be the entrance to the only apartment on the floor. The minute the door opened, a pair of strong arms roughly grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her inside, the heavy steel door slamming shut behind her. 

Before she could catch her breath, someone slid a blindfold over her eyes and she felt herself being lifted from the floor and carried by her upper arms across the room. Kicking her arms and legs to try and fight off her attacker, she briefly felt victorious when one of her feet made contact with what was likely someone’s shin. They emitted a howl of pain, which Nancy echoed a moment later when someone brutally wrenched her arms behind her back and delivered a hard slap across her cheek. 

Nancy’s face stung as she felt herself being slammed into a chair, her wrists bound by wire to the slats at her back. Her captor gave her another slap, this time to the other cheek, before she heard a heavily accented voice angrily punctuate the air. 

“What the fuck are you doing?” a woman’s voice snapped. “We agreed that we wouldn’t hurt her anywhere that someone else can see! We may need to save that for later, in front of a camera or witnesses!” Was she Russian, or from some other Eastern European country? Nancy couldn’t tell. 

“This bitch needs to know that we mean business,” a man’s voice cut in. His voice was deep and matter-of-fact, and Nancy thought that she could detect some kind of a Spanish accent in it.  _Looks like Frank and Joe were right_ , she mused, trying to ignore the pain lancing through her arms and her still-burning cheeks. _Elena Karova and Alejandro Simeon were behind the Onyx identity all along_. But why had they brought her here? And just what did they intend to do with her?

“Miss Drew – excuse me, Mrs. Nickerson?” the woman’s voice asked. “Can’t forget that you’re married, can we?”

Nancy’s stomach churned at the reference to Ned, but forced herself to respond calmly. “Yes?”

“Can you tell by now that we’re serious? My partner has doubts.”

“Obviously, you are, but I’m still not sure why you brought me here and why you threatened my husband.” Nancy couldn’t disguise the iciness in her tone as she raised her chin in a near-defiant pose. 

“Oh, you aren’t? That seems surprising to me, given your supposed intelligence.” Nancy heard the clicking of high heels approach her chair and was startled by the sudden blow of a fist against her stomach. She hissed in surprise and pain, breathing shallowly as she tried not to let the agony show on her face. 

 _Think of Ned_ , she told herself as she felt another punch, this one to her ribcage. _You came all of this way to protect him, and you need to do anything possible to keep him safe. You’ve endured much worse_ , _so just suck it up._

Nancy bit down on her lip to try and prevent herself from crying out as the next blow came on the other side of her ribcage; when she hissed through her teeth, she could taste the strong, coppery flavor of fresh blood on her lip. 

“Are you ready to tell us what we need to know? Have you had enough, Nancy?” the man asked mockingly. 

“What do you want?” Nancy asked simply. “You’ve gotten my attention; now, tell me what it is that you’re looking for me to give you.”

“Okay, so you’re going to play dumb? From what we observed, I would have guessed that you loved your husband much more than this. I mean, from all of the kissing and touching that the two of you did – all lovey-dovey, all the time. But maybe that was an act?” 

Nancy couldn’t hold back from shrieking as she felt her fingers suddenly being pushed backwards at an unnatural angle. “A shame – he’s a very sexy man. I’m sure there are plenty of other women who would be dying to be with him. I know I would.” Elena chuckled, but there was no humor in it. 

“Tell me what you want,” Nancy commanded in a low voice. “I’ll give you what you want as long as you keep Ned out of this.” She tried to focus on their conversation and ignore the pain that seemed to be radiating all over her body.  

“That’s more like it,” Alejandro told her. “All we need is your cooperation.”

“With what?” Nancy was genuinely puzzled. “I really don’t understand what it is you think I have or know.”

Elena made a _tsk_ ing sound. “I would have thought your friends Frank and Joe Hardy would have filled you in. Clearly, I overestimated the three of you.”

“I’ve barely spoken to Frank and Joe for a couple of weeks,” Nancy said, trying to sound reasonable. “I know you know that I’ve been in California, so I’m not sure what you think they would have told me.”

She winced as one of the pair grabbed her by the hair and pulled her head backwards. “And here I thought you were willing to be cooperative,” Elena hissed into her ear. “I guess not.” Nancy gasped as the hand in her hair twisted and pulled even harder.

“Now, are you going to cut the bullshit?” Alejandro asked harshly. Nancy nodded, the motion jerky as one of them still held her by the hair. 

“Sydney.” The word was uttered flatly by Elena. 

“What about it?”  Nancy could barely think, the pulling on her scalp was so painful. 

“Around three years ago. Come on, Ms. Drew – think hard,” Alejandro prompted her. 

Nancy continued to rack her brain but nothing immediately came to mind. “Looks like we still haven’t convinced you,” Elena smirked. “Well, we’ll give you plenty of time to think.” 

Nancy felt herself being pulled up and dragged by her hair, someone still holding the chair underneath her, to a room that was so warm, the air felt close around her.  They set the chair down onto the floor with a loud jolt, then slammed the door shut, leaving Nancy in silence. 

\--

Ned could barely restrain himself from unbuckling his seatbelt and dashing past the flight attendants to rush off the airplane as his flight made its way to the gate at Montréal-Trudeau airport. He had spent the past five hours on the plane downing caffeine while his brain simultaneously tried to shut out any thoughts of Nancy being tortured or worse while praying that Frank and Joe had uncovered more clues to discover her whereabouts. 

Before leaving Los Angeles, Ned had called Bess and George to casually inquire whether they had heard from his wife that day – neither had, of course. He also tried her friend Stephen, as well as Hannah, but they hadn’t been contacted by Nancy, either. Now he was waiting to get into the airport terminal so he could call Frank Hardy and find out if he and Joe had been able to determine where Nancy was being held in Montreal. _If Onyx hasn’t already transported her elsewhere_ , he told himself grimly. 

The minute the captain and crew gave the go-ahead for the passengers to start exiting the plane, Ned quickly stood and grabbed his bag from the overhead bin, not caring about his rudeness as he pushed past other passengers to exit. Once he had made it into the terminal, Ned found the nearest open seat and whipped out his cell phone to dial Frank’s number. 

After what seemed like a year, Frank answered. “Hey, Ned.”

“Hardy, what do you know?” Ned barked out impatiently. “Where the fuck is Nancy?” When an elderly woman passing by glared at him for his language, Ned mouthed the word ‘ _sorry_ ’ before turning his back to her. 

“Well, Joe and I have combed through lots of financial transactions, and we’ve just discovered that Simeon and Karova have been on quite the real estate spending spree here in Montreal over the last few months.”

“And?”

“They’ve been renting out several spaces here in the city – through their dummy corporations, of course. Nan could be in any one of them,” Frank concluded with a sigh. 

“Helpful, Hardy,” Ned snapped. “So how do we narrow them down?”

“Joe has just started doing that, and I was about to help when you called.”

“Great, I’ll come to where you are and help, too.” It wasn’t a question as much as an order. 

“Ned, I don’t think that’s a good idea…”

Ned cut Frank off before he could continue. “Don’t you start that shit with me again – remember, you’re already on thin fucking ice with me, Hardy. I already told you that I’m going to participate in this and that you can’t stop me, so don’t even bother. Now, tell me where you are so I can grab a cab and meet you there.”

“The Sofitel on Sherbrooke Ouest – room 618. We’ll be waiting,” Frank replied tersely. 

\-- 

Sydney. Nancy was still pondering what it was that Karova and Simeon could need from her as the room got hotter and stuffier around her. She could feel the beads of sweat working their way from her forehead to underneath the blindfold, and her eyes burned as the perspiration dripped into them. _Focus!_ she told herself sternly. _There has to be something that will jog your memory!_

Nancy’s thoughts quickly, traitorously landed on Mick Devlin. The last time she had seen him was when she had couriered paperwork between a government contact in Washington, D.C. and an unknown agent in Sydney. He had somehow found out she was in town and had asked – demanded, really – that she meet him for a drink. Mick’s smile of greeting had dimmed considerably when he had taken in the wedding ring on the fourth finger of her left hand - and when she had politely but firmly told him that whatever spark had existed between them in the past had died long ago, as far as she was concerned. 

 _Could Mick somehow be connected to this?_ she wondered silently. 

That trip had taken place around three years ago because someone in the US government wanted to supply information to a mystery person in Australia – back when everyone and their brother wanted to get to the mole who was leaking important secrets. Nancy had been asked to transport an envelope containing a single piece of paper that listed four seemingly random words. Since she was long used to codes and secret messages, at the time, Nancy hadn’t blinked when she saw the odd list.  She had merely shrugged and shown up where and when she was supposed to. Nancy hadn’t asked for a lot of details; the less she knew about these things, the better. Or so she had thought, she noted wryly. 

After she had dropped off the envelope, she had detoured to the bar where Mick had told her to meet him. While it had been nice to see him again, Nancy hadn’t felt anything more for him than fleeting nostalgia and an affectionate reminder of the fun they’d had traipsing around Europe, and later Japan, solving mysteries. However, Mick had made it more than clear that he was disappointed when he had found out that she was married. He had attempted to charm his way into her hotel suite – and the bed in it - but she had firmly shut him down.

As soon as she had returned to River Heights, she had barely set down her luggage before dragging Ned into bed with her – the distance from him, combined with her sheer relief at coming home to him, had made her nearly insatiable that night. 

The memory brought a tender smile to her face, which quickly faded as she remembered the situation she found herself in at the present. _Ned_ , she thought wistfully. _Please, please let them have kept their promise not to hurt him. And please let him have deciphered my note._

Her exhaustion led her to a near-delirious state, which was made worse by the ever-increasing heat in the room. _If they thought they were going to sweat this information out of me, they may have been right,_ she thought wryly. _Now, come on, think – if Mick isn’t connected to this, there has to be another reason they’re asking you about Sydney._

 _Wait! Damn, Drew, why didn’t you think of this earlier?_ Nancy berated herself. T _hey probably want the four words on the paper, idiot! Shit, now what were they?_

\--

If Ned had to be cooped up in the small hotel room with Frank and Joe for another five minutes, he’d probably go insane. When he’d arrived at the Sofitel, the greeting between him and Frank had been tense, to say the least. The only thing that had prevented him from punching the shit out of the other man was the fact that it would take precious time away from their search for Nancy. _Later_ , he had told himself grimly. 

Now two hours had passed since his arrival, and they didn’t seem to be any closer to locating Nancy’s whereabouts. When Frank had mentioned that Onyx had purchased a lot of real estate lately, he hadn’t been kidding. There were hundreds upon hundreds of complicated, entangled transactions throughout the world, and the three men had spent the time combing through every single one of them to find any small lead at all. 

Ned knew that they were doing the best they could, but it didn’t make him feel any better or put him any more at ease. Every moment that they spent in the room was one moment less that they could be out searching for his wife, and one moment more that Karova and Simeon could be hurting her. _She had to fucking go, didn’t she_? he hissed silently. _She just walked right into the fucking trap they had laid for her without a moment’s thought or hesitation._  

Right now, he just wanted to find her safe and sound, but he didn’t plan on letting her idiotic actions go without a fight later on. He was both scared for her and pissed at her, all at the same time, and didn’t know which impulse was stronger. Ned’s jaw clenched as he thought of her being held captive somewhere, but he tried to push the idea out of his mind and focus on the computer screen in front of him. _Come on, baby, where are you?_ he thought frantically. 

“God, I can’t believe how many fucking buildings and warehouses and shit they’ve snapped up,” Joe moaned. “Do they think they’re playing a real-life version of Monopoly?"

“I don’t know, but it makes me nervous that they’ve spread themselves out like this,” Frank responded, fishing a potato chip out of the bag next to him. 

“Can I ask why the fuck no one ever thought to place a transmitter or something like that on Nancy?” Ned demanded. “Like a Lo-Jack, so we could find her when shit like this happens?”

“Actually,” Frank cleared his throat, “we suggested that a long time ago.”

“Okay, so why doesn’t she have one?”

Joe snickered. “Because she told us no. She was worried about one of you setting it off somehow when the two of you were…” He let the sentence linger as he raised his eyebrows suggestively.

Ned flushed guiltily as he thought about all of the ways that he and Nancy would engage in rough sex – the firm press of his fingers against her skin, a not-so-gentle bite from his teeth, a hard thrust against her…He supposed that any one of those things could potentially trigger an implanted transmitter to go off.  But still, if he had been given the choice between being rough with her or an extra opportunity to protect her in situations like this, it wouldn’t have even been a question to him. The fact that she didn’t even consider it made him even angrier at her. 

“I sure as hell need some caffeine,” Joe’s voice cut into Ned’s thoughts. “Frank, Ned?”

Frank stood up from his sprawled-out position on the floor. “I can go,” he told his brother hurriedly. 

“Nope – I need to get out and stretch my legs a little,” Joe replied, tilting his head from side to side as if to clear it.

“Are you sure?” Frank’s tone sounded almost desperate. 

 _Probably scared to be alone with me, the fucking coward_ , Ned thought darkly as he slammed down on his keyboard’s enter key. 

“Bro, I got this. Now, what’ll it be? Coffee, soda, what?”

“Coke for me,” Ned told him, reaching into his pocket for some money. 

“Nope, Nickerson – it’s on me,” Joe said. “Can I get you something to eat, too?”

Ned shook his head emphatically. “Nope – the thought of eating right now makes me want to throw up.”

Frank spoke up. “You probably should have something, though. You’ve been here for hours and it’s gonna be a long night. If Nan were here, you know she’d say the same thing.”

Ned’s head jerked up at that. “Oh, so you know my wife so well that you can just speak for her?” he snapped before he could stop himself. His anger, coupled with his nerves and exhaustion, didn’t allow him to hold back any longer. 

“I didn’t say that, Nickerson,” Frank replied, making his best attempt to sound patient. “I just know that she’d be worried about you.”

“Oh, and since she’s not here, you thought you’d take over? Aren’t you the thoughtful one? Tell me, did you take her thoughts into consideration when you pulled that shit on her in New York?” At this point, Ned couldn’t restrain his fury. 

“This is not the time for that, Nickerson,” Frank told him in a low voice. “I know you’re pissed at me, and I deserve it, but not now."

“You know, Hardy, I’ve about had enough of you trying to tell me what to do.” Ned rose to his feet and stood directly in front of Frank. “I’m fucking sick of it, as a matter of fact. And it makes me laugh that you’re so worried about Nancy right now, especially when you’re the one who got her into this in the first place. This is your goddamn fault.”

“Nickerson, that’s enough. You’re tired, you’re scared for Nancy, and so am I – I’ll give you full permission to yell at me later, but not now.”

But Ned wouldn’t back down. “She’s my wife, Hardy – you couldn’t just keep your fucking hands to yourself, could you? You just thought you’d take what you wanted, right, without any concern to Nan’s feelings? Or mine, for that matter? You selfish son of a bitch.” As Ned raised his fist to punch Frank, he felt his arm being held back. 

“Look, I have no idea what the fuck happened between Nan and Frank, and I’m assuming that my brother fucked up big-time, but not now, okay?” Joe said firmly. “It’s not going to do anything to help Nan, and she needs us.” His tone softened. “I know you’re upset, man, but come on – we should be spending this time searching for her, okay? Okay?” he repeated when Ned remained silent. 

“You’re right, Joe,” Ned exhaled loudly, dropping his fist to his side. “Thanks.”

“Frank, why don’t you go to get the drinks, after all? I think you could use some cooling down.” Frank looked as if he were about to protest but finally shrugged and walked out the door. 

The minute the door closed behind his brother, Joe turned back to Ned. “I’m sorry, okay? Not for what Frank did – seriously, I have no idea what happened between him and Nan, but things have been weird ever since she suddenly left for L.A. a few weeks ago.

“I can only speak for myself, and I’m sorry that we dragged Nan into this, like you said. Really – we never meant for this to happen, Ned. You know we both really care about her.”

Ned could tell that Joe’s words were sincere. “I know you do, Joe, and I’m not trying to cause trouble between you and your brother, but he…He went so far over the line…Frank just needs to accept, once and for all, that Nan is married to _me_ , and that I love her and she loves me. ”

“I agree,” Joe said quietly. “Look, I know that Frank’s in love with Callie – really,” he added when Ned made a sound of disbelief. “He _does_ love her. But he’s always had this infatuation with Nancy. I mean, I get it – she’s gorgeous, sexy, smart, funny, cool…but anyone can see that she’s in love with you. I honestly thought that he’d get over it once you guys got married, but I think it’s been harder for him than he anticipated. 

“Whatever happened between them, I can guess that Nan finally made it clear to my brother that he has no shot at all whatsoever – like I said, it’s crystal-clear to the rest of us, but I think he’s been in denial all of this time.”

Ned exhaled loudly. “I understand, because it would be hell for me if I were the one who had lost and had to watch her live out her happily ever after with someone else. But that’s the thing, Joe – Nan and I _are_ happy together. We’re going through a rough patch right now, true, but we’ll work it out – we love each other too much not to.”

“I know you will, man,” Joe replied, patting him on the shoulder. “And again, I’m sorry that we brought her into this, but we’ll find Nancy and she’ll be fine.”

“Thanks, Joe.” Ned crooked up his mouth in a half-smile. 

\-- 

Nancy hadn’t thought it would be possible, but the room seemed to get even hotter as the minutes ticked by. By now, her arms were numb, her face burned, and her ribs and abdomen ached from their earlier beating. She would have given anything to wipe away the trickle of perspiration working its way down her spine, and a drink of water would be like heaven. 

 _Never mind that - just keep trying to remember what the note said!_ she told herself firmly. _You can drink as much as you want later._  

 _Okay, so you had the envelope, and you looked at it before turning it over…Think, Nancy!_ The words vaguely danced in her brain, just out of reach – if she weren’t so damn hot and tired, maybe she could remember them. 

Just then, she heard the door to the room open and felt the chair rise up from underneath her before she was carried a short distance. The temperature difference alone nearly made her sob in relief; she was even more relieved when the blindfold was removed from her eyes. Nancy found herself staring at a half-built wall, the beams and wood exposed behind sheetrock. 

Suddenly she was face-to-face with a gorgeous woman, her glossy chocolate waves surrounding a perfect, heart-shaped face with large hazel eyes. Those eyes were cold, however, and could barely suppress a look of fury and irritation. 

“We’ve had enough, Ms. Drew,” Elena told her in a steely voice. “Now, tell us what you remember.”

Nancy licked her lips and tried to moisten her tongue, but it was difficult – the heat in the other room had dried out her mouth. “I remember…” she tried to get to get the words out, “I remember going to Sydney about three years ago on assignment. My job was to hand over an envelope…”

“Ah, now we’re getting warmer,” Alejandro cut in. He was tall, well-built, and what Bess would probably call ruggedly handsome, with a full head of thick blonde hair and a pair of startlingly green eyes. Like Elena, though, his face was set in a cold expression. “Tell us, Ms. Drew – what was in that envelope?”

Nancy wanted to cooperate, for Ned’s sake and her own, but first she had some questions of her own. “That’s what I’m trying to remember,” she told them honestly. “But I don’t understand why you have me. You’ve been trailing me, Frank and Joe, yet I’m the only one you’ve captured. Also, all of this happened more than three years ago – why wait this long to contact us?”

“Well, my dear Nancy,” Elena sneered, her face again within inches of Nancy’s, “we knew that one of the three of you would have handled this very important information, and didn’t know which one of you it was until very recently. Thanks to some well-conducted research, we were able to determine that you were the one we really needed all along. Although,” she shrugged, “it was kind of entertaining to see the Hardys scrambling for these past several months.” She turned her lips up in a grotesque imitation of a smile. 

“But why now?” Nancy persisted, stalling for time so she could think. “Three years is a long time.”

“True,” Alejandro conceded. “But we needed to wait it out so everyone’s interest in this entire endeavor died down. People got bored and moved on to the next potential powergrab.

“Now, though – now we’ve confirmed that the person we need is still very much in the business of giving up important information to the highest bidder, and we know you’ve been in contact with them in the past. So, you’re going to give us the final missing piece in the puzzle.” It was a statement, not a question. 

“What was in the envelope?” Elena pressed, viciously kicking at Nancy’s shin with the pointy toe of her stiletto-heeled boots. 

Nancy gasped, frustrated that she couldn’t use her hands to rub her now-throbbing shin. “A piece of paper.”

“Oh, so you’re going to make us beat it out of you? What was on the piece of paper?” 

Another brutal kick, this one landing on her other shin. “I can’t remember,” Nancy replied, trying to keep her voice from quavering. As Elena raised her foot again, Nancy blurted out, “I’m trying! I’m trying to remember.”

“Not good enough. Time’s wasting,” Alejandro told her, punching her in the stomach again. 

“You know what? I think that Ms. Drew could use a little extra motivation,” Elena purred. 

Nancy began to panic as she imagined what they had in mind. “I’ll tell you, but I just need to remember,” she panted. The pain was overwhelming, but Nancy tried not to let it show on her face.

“Not good enough,” Alejandro repeated. “Get her purse,” he commanded Elena. She obeyed his order and walked across the room to dangle Nancy’s handbag from her hand. “Take out her phone.”

Elena did as she was told and handed him Nancy’s iPhone. “Time for you to make a little call, my dear.” 

“Who?” Nancy asked, fearing their answer. 

“Well, I think that it’s time you check in with your husband,” Alejandro smirked. 

“Great idea,” Elena echoed gleefully. “Maybe if we bring him here and give him the same treatment we’ve been giving you, that’ll speed up your memory.”

Nancy went cold inside at the thought of them luring Ned into their trap. Maybe she could pretend to make the call, maybe she could tell them that he wasn’t answering…

“And before you start thinking about calling someone else and pretending they’re your husband,” Alejandro cut into her thoughts, “forget it. You’ll dial by voice command and we’ll check the display on the phone. And you’ll be on speaker the entire time, so no cute codes or games, either.”

“Now,” he held the phone up in front of her mouth, “dial.”

Nancy uttered Ned’s name and helplessly watched the display as the phone dialed his number. The phone rang three times before he picked up on the other end.

\--

“Holy shit, it’s Nan!” Ned exclaimed, staring at his phone’s display in disbelief.

Frank and Joe both sprang to their feet, identical looks of shock on their faces. 

“Shit, do you think that Kareva and Simeon are making her call?” Frank asked. “Could they still have her?”

“Possibly,” Joe responded. “Answer, Ned – hurry! And don’t let them know that you’re here in Canada!”

Ned pressed the answer button on his phone. “Nan? Nan, baby, is that you?” he asked hesitantly, scarcely daring to hope.

“Hi, baby,” came Nancy’s voice through the other end of the phone. “It’s me.” It sounded as though she were on speaker. 

“Where are you? Are you okay? Are you hurt?” Ned’s questions came at a rapid-fire pace as he held the phone away from his ear so Frank and Joe could listen to their conversation.

“I’m fine,” she replied, and the strained tone to her voice made Ned believe that she was lying.  “I just need you to do me a favor, okay, baby?”

“Anything, sweetheart – name it.” Frank and Joe nodded their approval at his response.

“I need you to come meet me somewhere, okay?”

“Definitely – just tell me where and I’ll be there.”

She gave him the address of the loft where Kareva and Simeon were holding her. “But you need to come alone, Ned. Please.”

Ned shuddered at the desperation in her voice. “Okay, baby, anything you say. I’ll be there, I promise.” 

 _Ask if she’s alone_ , Frank mouthed from across the room. “Are you by yourself, honey? Or, are you with someone?”

Nancy paused, as if obtaining directions from someone else in the room. “I have company,” she conceded. “And they’re dying to meet you.” 

Ned set his mouth in an angry line. “I’ll bet. I need to hear that you’re okay, though, sweetheart. Make them get on the line and tell me that they haven’t hurt you.”

The three men collectively held their breath as they waited for the response from the other end of the phone. “Hello?” a woman’s Eastern European-accented voice asked impatiently. 

“Tell me Nancy’s okay,” Ned snapped. “I don’t know who you are or what you want, but you need to tell me that you haven’t hurt her.”

“Oh, you know exactly who we are, Mr. Nickerson. Just like we know who you are. Your wife is sitting here with us while we all catch up on each others’ lives. I strongly suggest that you come here and join us as soon as you can.” 

“I’ll be there, but you better not have hurt her,” Ned repeated angrily.

“Ooh, that protectiveness is very sexy,” she cooed. “Ms. Drew is a lucky woman. Let’s see if her luck holds out. Come here, Mr. Nickerson, and come alone – if you think of calling the police or the Hardys, both you and your pretty wife will regret it.” Before Ned could say anything else, the call was disconnected. 

“Goddamn it!” Ned growled in frustration. 

“Look, I’m sure she’s fine,” Frank told him, not very convincingly. “But the good news is that we don’t have to search for her anymore. And, I’m sure that they don’t know you’re here in Montreal, so we have the element of surprise on our side when you show up much earlier than they would’ve anticipated.”

“But they told him to come alone, Frank,” Joe pointed out. “We can’t send him in on his own – way too risky.”

“I can handle –“ 

Ned’s sentence was cut off by Frank. “I know you’re strong and tough, but these two are evil and sadistic. They probably have Nan tied up and they’ll do the same to you. I know you don’t want to think about it, Nickerson, but they’re probably planning to torture one or both of you in front of each other so they can get whatever information they want out of Nan.”

Ned blanched at that thought. “We have to get her the fuck out of there, Hardy.”

“I know. But we need to do it in a smart way. Think about it – we’ll have them outnumbered. If Nan’s restrained in some way, it’ll still be three of us against the two of them.”

Ned nodded, reluctant to admit that Frank had a point. “Okay, so they open the door and find me standing there…”

“And Frank and I are waiting on each side of the doorway and bust our way in, attacking Karova and Simeon,” Joe finished. 

Frank held up his palm in a ‘stop’ gesture. “I have a different idea. Ned, you’re probably going to hate it, but I think it’s the best solution.”

Ned eyed the other man warily. “What is it?”

“Well, you and I sort of look alike, right? I mean, from a distance, we look more like brothers than…well, than Joe and I do.”

Joe shrugged, unfazed. “It’s true. Maybe I was switched at birth or something.”

“Okay, so?” Ned asked impatiently. 

“What if I pretend to be you? I…”

“Oh hell, no, Hardy,” Ned snarled. “I mean, we know that you’re dying to take my place with Nan, but this is a little ridiculous.”

Joe cut in. “Wait, Ned, I think Frank’s onto something. Hear him out.”

Frank cast an impatient glance at Ned before continuing. “What if I wear a hoodie and sunglasses when I knock on the door? We have the same build and look enough alike that it could probably get me inside.”

“And then what?” Ned demanded. 

“Then you and Joe come in and help me to take down Kareva and Simeon. You bring a gun, Ned?” Ned shook his head. “It’s okay – Joe and I have an extra that we can loan you, if you’re cool with it.” Frank crossed over to the safe in the wall; after a few deft twists of the combination wheel, he withdrew a large handgun and handed it to Ned. 

 _Only the fact that I’m worried sick about Nan is preventing me from using it on that bastard,_ Ned thought to himself. After carefully confirming that the safety was engaged, he gently jiggled the weapon in his hands to gauge the weight of it. 

“Ever used one like these before?”  Joe asked. 

“Yep – Nan took me to the shooting range and we used one like this, so I’m good.” 

Joe nodded. “Now that I think about it, the hoodie and sunglasses may trigger suspicion if they have any type of security system – monitors or whatever. Maybe there’s a better way. Let’s walk through the plan and figure it out.”

\--

Nancy tried to focus on anything but the pain she was experiencing and her fear about what they would do to Ned when he arrived. The contents of the note remained elusive, though. She racked her brain as Karova and Simeon continued to stare at her threateningly. 

“How’s your memory coming along?” Karova smirked. “Does the fact that your husband will be here in a few hours help to jog it?”

“I remember that the words were connected to each other, but didn’t really make sense…Wait…Wait, they may have been—”

Whatever Nancy was about to say was interrupted by a knock at the door. Both Karova and Simeon looked up in surprise. 

“Who the hell could that be?” Karova asked.

“No idea – it can’t be her husband, because it takes at least five hours for a flight from Los Angeles to Montreal,” Simeon replied. They both were startled again when the knock turned into a steady pounding. 

Elena reached backwards and pulled out a large gun, the heels of her shoes making a clicking sound on the hardwood floor as she walked to the door. “Who is it?” she asked warily, flipping on the security monitor. 

“Sydney,” came the muffled voice from the other side of the door. A tall, dark-haired man stood there, his face turned down towards the floor. 

It was the code word that Nancy had been told to provide to Ned when she gave him the address for the loft. 

“Why the fuck is he here so early?” Simeon demanded. 

“Good question,” Karova replied tersely. The pounding at the door resumed. “Should I ask another question to make sure it’s really her husband?” Simeon nodded his assent. 

“Well, Nancy, what should I ask that only your husband would know?” Karova asked.

Nancy thought frantically. “Ask him... Ask him the name of one of the songs I sang to him at the piano bar.”

Karova repeated the question through the still-closed door. “ _Lovesong_ , by the Cure,” was the response through the door. 

When Nancy nodded, Karova began undoing the locks. As she opened the door an inch, it suddenly burst open, and Nancy was shocked to find Frank, Joe and Ned standing there, guns cocked and pointed at Karova and Simeon. 

The five of them stood there, weapons pointed at each other, as Nancy frantically turned her head from side to side to take in the scene.  

Karova suddenly slipped behind Nancy’s chair and pushed the muzzle of her gun against Nancy’s temple.  “You think you’re so clever,” she sneered. “What’s to stop me from putting a bullet through her pretty head?” 

“The fact that we could kill you before your finger even made it to the trigger,” Frank told her, his voice cold.  “Put the fucking guns down, _now_.”

“Not so fast,” Simeon warned his partner. “I could kill them all without blinking.”

“Yeah, right,” snorted Joe. “You were never known for being a good shot, Simeon.”

“Try me,” the other man challenged. 

“And you, Mr. Nickerson,” Karova purred, “I didn’t think you were in the spy business, so you’re way out of your league here, honey.” 

“I’ve had enough practice at this, so don’t test me,” Ned snapped.

“Look, why doesn’t everyone put the guns down,” Nancy broke in. “I think I remember the code, so why don’t you take it and go on out of here.” While everyone had been focused on the weapons in the room, she had begun the painful task of rubbing her wrists against the slats of the chair back to try and saw away at her restraints.  Now that she was no longer outnumbered, she was attempting her escape. 

“And your husband and your little friends will let us walk away, just like that?” Simeon sneered, not taking his eyes off of Ned and the Hardys. 

“That’s right,” Nancy returned. “All they want is my safety – right, guys?” Her three-man rescue team nodded. “So I’ll give you the codes, everyone’ll put down their guns, and we’ll all walk out of here.” 

“So we should just believe you?” Karova asked in disbelief. “How would we know that you were giving us the right code, and that you wouldn’t call in your government to track us down the minute we walked out of here?”

“Because I could call the person who gave me the information to be transported and have them verify that the code is accurate,” Nancy improvised wildly. “And we wouldn’t report you because honestly, we don’t care - if someone was dumb enough to be willing to leak government secrets for cash, who are we to stop them?”  

Nancy hoped that her face didn’t reflect a look of triumph as she felt one wrist break free. It was burning and raw, but that didn’t matter right now. All she had to do was keep talking until she could get the other one out of its restraint. She noticed that Karova had been so busy listening that she had unconsciously stepped back, the gun no longer at Nancy’s temple. 

“So you give us the code, confirm its accuracy, and walk out the door?” Simeon asked. 

“That’s right. Frank, Joe, Ned – do you agree?” The other men nodded in unison. 

“Nan, I don’t give a fuck who buys and sells what, as long as you’re safe,” Ned told her, point-blank. 

“And your partners, here?” Simeon gestured towards Frank and Joe with his head as Karova stepped back yet another few inches. 

“Like Nancy said – we’ll gladly exchange the information for her safety. She’s all we care about,” Frank replied. 

Nancy didn’t miss the sneer that briefly crossed Ned’s face upon hearing Frank’s words. _Not now, Ned!_ she thought to herself. _You can kick his ass later!_

Joe chimed in. “Give us Nan, and we’ll do whatever you want.”

Nancy almost cried with relief when the other restraint broke. She discreetly rotated her wrists, trying to ignore the searing pain of her torn flesh. Her shoulders were also screaming from being held back for so long, and she hoped she could use them. 

When Karova and Simeon looked at each other to try and mull the offer they had been given, Nancy made her move.  In one quick motion, she rose from the chair and locked her arm around Karova’s throat, cutting off the other woman’s air supply. The motion also startled Simeon, which meant that Frank and Joe could toss his weapon aside and tackle him to the ground. Ned kept his gun trained on Karova, in case she tried to break free.  

The Hardys and Ned succeeded in tying up Karova and Simeon while Nancy called their government contacts to come and pick up their prize. Her injuries were screaming in protest, but Nancy couldn’t resist leaning over Karova’s chair and giving an extra-tight tug on the ropes that bound her hands, satisfied when she saw the other woman’s face contort in pain. 

\--

A very long three-and-a-half hours later, Nancy, Ned, and the Hardys were deemed free to go by the authorities they had called in to collect Karova and Simeon. 

They grabbed a cab to head back to the Sofitel. Conversation was light, as they were all too tired to speak. Nancy asked the driver to make a quick stop at a store they had passed. She entered the store, trying to ignore the other shoppers’ horrified glances – she knew she looked a wreck, but was too tired to care.  Nancy purchased some toiletries, first aid supplies, and a change of clothing. 

Too tired to walk anymore when they arrived at the hotel, Nancy was grateful for Ned’s support as they walked to the elevator and then to the room that the Hardys had booked, his mouth in a thin line when she brushed away his offer to carry her. 

Upon entering the room, Nancy collapsed onto one of the beds. Ned sat next to her, carefully examining the welts at her wrists; she flinched when he ran his fingertips along the black-and-blue marks on her face. Before she could protest, he picked up the hem of her shirt and exposed her midriff, growling with fury when he saw the bruises and red marks there. Nancy was glad he hadn’t pulled up the legs of her jeans to see the damage Karova had done with her shoes. 

“I’m calling the front desk to get a doctor up here. You refused to go to the hospital when the Feds offered to call an ambulance, but that was before I saw how badly they beat the shit out of you,” Ned told her, his voice barely concealing his fury.

“Ned, I’ll be fine – I bought some bandages and ointment at the store, and you can just patch me up…” Nancy’s voice trailed off upon seeing the glare on his face. 

“Don’t you even fucking start. You’re seeing a doctor, even if I have to pick you up and drag you to one.” With that, Ned picked up the phone on the nightstand and called down to the front desk. 

The doctor arrived within 30 minutes, and the elderly, mild-mannered man was horrified to see the damage that had been done to Nancy. “Dear, I really think you should go to the hospital,” he kept repeating, despite Nancy’s protests. “These injuries to your abdomen could have caused internal bleeding.”

Nancy shook her head vigorously, trying to pretend that she didn’t see the storm clouds growing in Ned’s expression. “I’ll be fine, honestly. It looks worse than it feels,” she lied, holding back a hiss of pain when the doctor again probed her stomach and ribcage with just the lightest touch of his fingers. “I just need some pain medicine and some sleep, and I’ll be good as new.”

Sighing, the doctor gave her one more once-over before reluctantly taking out his prescription pad and writing her a prescription for a strong pain reliever. “If the pain gets worse or if you start coughing or throwing up blood –“

Nancy reached out for the piece of paper he held out to her. “I know, I’ll go to the emergency room – I promise. Thank you, doctor.”

The doctor shook his head, then looked at the other men in the room, who had been silently observing his examination of Nancy. “Which one of you is her husband?”

Ned raised his hand, gritting his teeth. “I am, doctor. And believe me, if she shows any more symptoms, I’m dragging her to a hospital – even if I have to carry her there.”

Once the doctor left, Nancy tried to move herself to a sitting position. She winced visibly, despite her best intentions to conceal it. “So, I guess we can just pick up my prescription on the way to the airport?” She scraped her straggly hair back into a messy ponytail, her scalp still aching from where she had been grabbed by the hair earlier.

“You cannot be fucking serious with this.” Ned bit off each word. “You are not going anywhere, except to the new room that I will get for us when I go down to the front desk. You will rest in that new room while I search for a 24-hour pharmacy to get your prescription. Then I will bring you your medicine, which you will take before you sleep for about two days.”

Nancy knew what he was saying made sense, but she bristled at his tone. “So now you just give orders and I take them?”

She almost wanted to take the words back - Ned looked about ready to explode. “When you do stupid-ass things that put your life into jeopardy, someone has to be logical and reasonable, Nancy.”

Nancy was tired and her entire body was one big throbbing mess, but he was seriously pissing her off. “I just want to head back home. I won’t sleep as well in a hotel bed,” she told him stubbornly. 

Nancy didn’t miss the look that Frank and Joe exchanged, but she was too annoyed and tired to care. 

Making a sound of frustration, Ned grabbed his cell phone from the pocket of his jeans. “Fine, then, don’t listen to me. I’m only your husband – what do I know, right? I’ll find the soonest flight to L.A. and –“

Nancy cut him off before he could finish. “L.A.? You must be kidding,” she snapped, becoming even more annoyed. “Ned, I said I wanted to go _home._ _Obviously,_ I meant Chicago.”

“Fine,” He bit off the word, his mouth set in a grim line. “Let me look for flights to Chicago. Whatever you want – that’s always how it works, right?” 

\--

Ned and Nancy remained silent on the quick detour to the drugstore, the trip to the airport, the flight to Chicago, and the ride back to their house in River Heights, only speaking to each other when it was absolutely necessary.

When the taxi pulled up in their driveway, Ned paid the driver and retrieved the bags from the trunk while Nancy stalked towards the front door. Once she was inside, she dropped her purse on the hall table and headed up the stairs, not bothering to wait for Ned.  The pain was starting to creep in again, but she ignored it – all she wanted to do was get into her own bed and sleep for about a thousand years. Nancy flipped on the bedroom light and gingerly walked to the dresser, searching for a nightgown. 

A minute later, she heard the front door slam shut, signaling Ned’s entrance. The heavy tread of his footsteps pounded up the stairs. 

“So, that’s it?” he demanded upon entering their bedroom. “You just walk upstairs and start getting ready for bed?”

Nancy whirled around to glare at him. “What is it that you want me to say, Ned? We’re both incredibly tired, I’m in a lot of pain, and I don’t think either of us has the energy to have the fight you’re obviously spoiling for us to have.”

“So, you’re just going to go to sleep right now while we’re this pissed at each other?” Ned folded his arms and returned her glare. 

“That’s right,” she snapped back. “If we hash this out now, we’ll both probably say things we’ll regret, things that we won’t be able to take back. I need to have a clear head so I can tell you the things I want to say to you.”

Pulling out a faded pink sleeveless nightgown from the dresser drawer, Nancy quickly stripped off the t-shirt and jeans she had hastily purchased on their way back to the hotel in Montreal. She didn’t miss how his gaze darkened as he caught sight of the marks and bruises all over her body. 

“Okay, fine, be like that,” he told her angrily. “Everything that happens in this marriage is always dictated by you, and tonight is no exception, I see.” Stomping to the bed, he grabbed the pillows from his side of the mattress and threw them under his arm.

“And where the fuck are _you_ going?” Nancy demanded, narrowing her eyes at him. 

“To sleep on the couch downstairs,” Ned replied hotly. “Since you told me you don’t want to have it out now and you obviously don’t want me near you, I think it’s best if I don’t stay in here tonight. We’ll talk tomorrow.” He turned and pivoted on his heel before stalking out of the room and slamming the bedroom door shut behind him. 

Despite her anger, Nancy felt chilled at the thought of him sleeping separately from her. She could count on one hand the number of times during their marriage when he hadn’t slept in their bed with her when they were both in the house, and the majority of those instances had occurred because one of them had been ill.  _It’s amazing,_ she thought. _How long have I dreamed about us being back home together? Now we are, and we can’t stand the sight of each other._

For a moment, Nancy considered following him downstairs and begging him to sleep next to her, but her pride made her reconsider. She padded to the bathroom where she downed two of the pills the doctor had prescribed. After removing her underwear, she threw the nightgown over her head, pulled back the covers, and settled between the sheets. 

Even though she was beyond exhausted, Nancy tossed and turned, the emptiness from the other side of the bed almost palpable. It took her a long time to fall asleep that night.

\--

The next morning, Nancy was awakened by the sunlight streaming through their bedroom windows. For a moment, she forgot that Ned was in the house – until she heard the refrigerator door open and close downstairs. Grimacing at the bare spot on the mattress where his pillows normally rested, she sat up for a moment, trying to determine her next move. Every muscle throbbed, and her wrists were starting to burn again. She would eventually have to replace the bandages but she didn’t have the energy to do so just yet.

“Well, you can’t just stay up here forever,” she told herself aloud. “Time to get this over with.” She slowly rose from the bed and walked to the bathroom to brush her teeth and take more medication. Her face looked even worse than it had the night before; she didn’t even want to think about how the rest of her looked. When she finally had gathered the courage, Nancy slowly descended the staircase.

Once downstairs, Nancy padded in her bare feet through the hallway to the family room where she found Ned sitting on the couch, as she suspected she would. He held a glass of orange juice in one hand and the TV remote in the other.

“Morning,” she said neutrally, trying to gauge his reaction.

“Morning,” he said coldly. Nancy’s heart sank when he didn’t even look at her.

“Did you want breakfast?” she asked, trying for a casual tone.

At that, Ned turned his head, the look of disbelief evident on his face. “Did you just fucking ask me if I wanted breakfast? So, that’s how you’re going to play this, huh? Try to act like everything’s fine, sweep it all under the rug until you’re good and ready to do this?” 

He slammed the remote onto the coffee table and stood up in one quick motion. “Well, I’m not going to play by your rules anymore, Nancy – I’m ready to talk now, and you can’t put me off any longer.”

Nancy felt her anger re-ignite. “Okay, so let’s talk. Why don’t you start by telling me why the fuck you’re so pissed at me, huh? Ever since you, Frank, and Joe found me in that loft, you’ve been snapping at me and acting like you’re furious with me, and I have no idea why.”

Ned shook his head. “You’re amazing, you know that? The fact that you don’t even know why is incredible to me. Tell me, how the fuck could you just take off like that without letting me know where you were?” he demanded angrily. “You know the rules – you tell me where you’ll be so I at least know where to look!”

“They threatened your life, Ned! I had to act quickly because I didn’t know if they were bluffing, and I didn’t want to take the chance! They had been watching us, they knew where we were…Your life was in danger!”

“So you just took off and left me that cryptic note? You didn’t at least tell Hardy? “

“The note warned me that if I did, they’d kill Frank and Joe, too!”

“How many times are you just going to just go off and do whatever the fuck you want, Nancy? Remember, it’s not just you anymore – “

“I know that, Ned, and I’m sorry, but I couldn’t take the chance! I can’t believe you can’t understand that!”

“I understand, but _you_ need to understand that your actions affect me now, too! We’re _married_! You don’t get to just follow every lead and take off, half-cocked, without any regard to my feelings or your own personal safety! Not to mention how it impacts my job!”

At that, Nancy stopped dead. “What? How did this whole Onyx thing affect _your_ job, huh? You seemed to have no trouble staying in L.A. when I was working this case.”

Ned ignored her dig. “Well, let’s start with the fact that one of my major clients had an urgent project and my boss called me in to get my team working on it. Only I had to tell her no, because my wife put herself into yet another life-threatening situation and I had to go chase after her! Gee, can’t go to work if I’m flying off to Montreal last-minute! 

“Yeah, this has been great for my reputation with Lyndsey and my other bosses, I’m sure,” he said sarcastically. “I’ve been working so hard to get my career to the next level, and when it’s finally within reach, your fucking job gets in the way – as usual!”

Nancy saw red. “Well, excuse me for keeping you from your precious job!” she screamed. “That’s all you seem to care about lately! That, and making more money so you can buy fancy, expensive designer shit so you can show it off to your new little friends in California!”

“Nancy, don’t you even start with that bullshit,” he told her coldly. “You’re the last one to talk about someone’s job being their obsession, so knock it off.” 

“God, after all of this time, I thought you finally would’ve learned to accept what it is that I do and that it’s sometimes dangerous.” She shook her head bitterly.

“You think I don’t accept it?” he demanded incredulously. “Are you serious? Do you know how many other guys would’ve just told you to stop or ended things after the fifth or tenth or twentieth broken date? I love you, in spite of your job, _because_ of it!”

“Oh, but then you bitch and grumble about it and act like a martyr, and you throw your sacrifice back into my face!” Nancy shouted back. “I get that my career isn’t convenient for you, but I’m sorry, Ned! You knew damn well what you were getting into when you married me!”

“Excuse me for thinking that you gave a shit about me and my feelings,” he returned bitterly. “That was my mistake – the way you acted when we dated should’ve given me a hint. Since day one, everything’s always been about you and your job – it’s always taken priority over everything else, including me. Especially me. I’m getting tired of it, Nancy.”

“Sure, go ahead – blame everything on _me_. Make me the selfish bitch, the ungrateful wife. That’s your M.O., you know – you’re the perfect one, and everything’s _always_ my fault. I’m getting tired of _that_ , Ned.”

Ned laughed, but it held no mirth. “I never said I was blameless here, Nancy – I know that I’ve made mistakes. But I find it amazing, how you won’t even acknowledge that you’ve had anything to do with the way things are between us.” 

“Fine, then – my mistake was going off and not telling you. I’m sorry, but if I had, it could have put you in danger.” 

“Incredible, how that’s all you’ll cop to. What about the fact that you could’ve had a subdermal transmitter implanted, but you _turned it down_?”

Nancy’s face went blank at that. “What are you talking about?”

“Oh, come on! You know damn well what I mean! You could’ve had something implanted so you could be tracked in situations like the one you got yourself into yesterday, but you didn’t! What the fuck were you thinking?” he shouted. 

“Ned, that was my decision! I didn’t want one so I didn’t get one!” She could feel a headache building behind her eyes and it would be lovely to be able to curl up on the couch, but she wasn’t about to back down now. 

“For someone who’s so fucking smart, that was an incredibly stupid thing to do, Nancy! And selfish as fuck, you know that? You didn’t even think to discuss it with me! Yet one more way that you don’t consider my feelings or my input about anything!” he spat out. 

“You know what? This bitterness, this hostility - I don’t even know who you are anymore, Ned,” she threw back at him.

“Well, and why do you think that is, Nancy? Could it be because you live here and I live in L.A., maybe? “

“Oh, that’s definitely it,” she told him, her words laced with ice. “Because you’re so busy turning yourself into someone new, with your fancy car and your fancy suits and all of that other material shit. Trying so hard to impress everyone, especially all of those beautiful women out there. Gotta look good for Carly, huh?”

He shook his head in disbelief. “And _again_ you go there. You know what I’m also tired of, Nancy? Having to reassure you over and over and over again that I’m not interested in Carly, or anyone else, for that matter.  Having to swear up and down that I’m still faithful and committed to our relationship. Having to feel guilty about loving what I do and loving California. You know, I’m getting to the end of my rope here.”

“So, what are you saying, Ned? What is it that you want from me? Do you want us to keep going on like this, shuttling between two cities and trying desperately to cling on to our relationship, which is now a mockery of what it used to be? Or do you want to be free?”

Ned looked stunned. “What? What the hell are you asking me, Nancy?” he asked sharply. 

“I want to know if you want your freedom, Ned,” she replied, her breath ragged from the tears that by now she was desperately trying to hold in. “If you’re just trying to find a way to ask me to end this, but can’t find a polite way to do it. Don’t hold back, though – if you want to just be able to live the single life so you can hook up with all of the women in L.A. who can’t seem to stop throwing themselves at you …Then you need to just fucking tell me, Ned. So I can stop trying to twist myself into being what you want me to be.” By now, the tears were flowing down her face and she was close to having them turn into sobs. 

His face was set in an expression of fury. “You cannot be saying what I think you’re saying, Nancy. Are you looking for me to give you an excuse to end this? What, so you can finally be with Hardy, once and for all, without having to feel guilty about it?”

At his words, Nancy marched up closer to Ned and put her face close to his, rage coursing through her veins. “Don’t you fucking _dare._ Don’t you accuse _me_ of cheating when _you_ … you were blatantly flirting and doing God knows what else with Carly and that Amanda lookalike and God knows who else. And you had better not deny it – I saw it with my own eyes, Ned,” she spat out venomously. 

“There was nothing to see, Nancy! Nothing happened, and I told you - I’m tired of your accusations!” Ned protested angrily. He threw himself back into his recliner, arms folded; Nancy took it as her cue to plop down onto the couch, relieved that she could finally sit. 

“Oh, I’m sure you’d get off on a technicality if we were having this argument in court, Nickerson. Sure, you never kissed them or touched them, or anything like that. But, oh, you can’t tell me you didn’t secretly encourage them, lead them on, even as you were telling them, ‘ _Oh, no, I’m married._ ’ 

“Meanwhile, all of your other signals were telling them to continue. Little flirtatious comments back and forth, a leg brushed against theirs under the table, some double entendres, an inviting smile… _Please._ I _saw_ how Carly looked at you at that party, Ned. Like she was a starving woman who hadn’t eaten in weeks, and you were the main course.” She crossed her arms in an imitation of his body language. 

“And that’s my fault? How she looked at me?” he shouted. “Nancy, I told you that there was nothing at all between us, and you want to give me shit for a look? Did it feel nice to get attention from other women? Yes! Because I can’t seem to get attention from my own wife, because she’s running all over the free world with another man, someone who has made it extremely clear from his words and actions that he is _dying_ to get into her pants. Someone who’s waiting, just _waiting_ , for me to fuck up so he can pick up the pieces and scoop you up.”

“Well, since it seems that you’re well on the path to fucking it up all by yourself, it should only be a matter of time, right?” Nancy screamed back. 

Ned continued as if she hadn’t spoken. “Tell me, before he made his big move, how many times did he make little comments while you two were out on your big, important cases? Little things like, ‘You need to find a guy who understands you,’ or, ‘A real man wouldn’t have just left you for a job in California – if you were mine, I’d never do that.’ How many times, huh?”

Nancy tried not to flinch, knowing how close Ned’s words hit to home. “Stop bringing Frank into this, Ned! When he came on to me, you _knew_ that I saw it as a violation, and that I sure as hell didn’t encourage it!  And believe it or not, he’s been encouraging me to stay with you, to make our marriage work!” 

Ned made a sound of disbelief but Nancy ignored it, continuing. “Anyway, his actions have nothing to do with anything – because no matter what, I’d **_never_** jeopardize what we have or throw it all away on some meaningless, empty sex with someone else. Can you say the same?”

“Did Carly come on to me? Yes, many times in many different ways. But the last time she did it was when you came out for those two weeks, and I point-blank told her that I didn’t want to mess up what you and I have. Nancy, I haven’t fucked anyone else. I don’t know how many times I have to fucking say it.” He spat out each word emphatically. 

“Oh, but you wanted to, now, didn’t you? Say it. Say how you could imagine yourself going to some big, fancy, chichi hotel with Carly and taking off her clothes to find out what kind of slutty lingerie she had underneath… and… and…” she was crying so hard at just picturing it that she could barely breathe, “and touching her body and kissing her, and slipping your cock into her pussy as she screamed and moaned…”

Ned bolted out of his chair to sit next to her on the couch and grabbed her by the shoulders, giving her a not-so-gentle shake. “Stop it,” he told her in a low voice. “None of that happened, okay? Nothing happened.”

“But not because you didn’t want it to,” she cried, roughly wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. “I know it went through your mind – you forget that I know you almost better than you know yourself, Ned. Or, at least I used to, before you turned into this stranger.” She stood up and stalked towards the kitchen to get some water, or stalked as best she could with her leg throbbing. 

Ned followed, hot on her heels. “Nancy, I did not cheat on you. I have not touched or kissed or fucked anyone else. But did I think about it? Yeah,” he admitted harshly. 

At that, Nancy turned around. “Because I was lonely! I was missing you and I felt like I wasn’t your priority – hell, I felt like I wasn’t even on your top-ten list. But every time I thought about taking them up on their offers, I couldn’t do it. Because I knew that it would irrevocably fuck up our relationship, Nancy. Because it still matters to _me_.” 

“And you’re saying that it doesn’t matter to me?” she retorted before taking a long pull from the bottle of water she had taken out of the refrigerator.

“I don’t know, Nan, does it?” he challenged, grabbing the bottle from her and taking his own gulp from it.  “You just do whatever the fuck you want whenever you want to, so does our marriage even matter to you anymore?”

“Of course it still matters!” she screamed back. “If it didn’t, do you think I’d be here right now, fighting this out with you? Damn it, Ned! I want to be with you, but I don’t want to be in a marriage you don’t want. I mean, you’re so angry with me and you took a job thousands of miles away from me… Maybe we should just stop the bullshit and stop hurting each other, and get a fucking divorce!” The word lingered in the air between them, and Nancy put her fingers to her lips, desperately wishing she could pull it back. 

The look of devastation on Ned’s face almost undid her. “Is that what you want?” he whispered, stricken.

She started to sob again, violently shaking her head. “No! No, Ned, no! I don’t want that at all. I don’t. But I need to know if that’s what you’re thinking. Because the way things are now… I can’t do this anymore. If you want to be free, then I’ll understand… But if we end this, if we walk away from each other…” her voice broke, “it will kill me. The thought of it makes me physically ill.” She looked at his face and was stunned to find tears in his eyes. 

Nancy sank down onto one of the chairs at their kitchen table. “It shouldn’t have to be this hard,” she whispered, and she didn’t know if she was saying it to him or to herself. “We love each other so much, we like each other, we have a history…”

“Nancy... I want to be married to you – I have _always_ wanted that,” he told her, his voice softening. “But, baby… I hate that we don’t know each other anymore, that we live two thousand miles apart. We’re becoming strangers – you said it yourself. 

“If you had asked me a year ago if I could ever envision our marriage being like this, us saying ugly things to each other and throwing around the word ‘divorce’…” Nancy looked down at that, again sorry that she had even mentioned it, "I would have laughed in your face. I would’ve said that nothing or no one could tear us apart, that we’d always be as in love and in lust as we’ve been before. But now… Now, I don’t know what we are."

“I think the lust thing has been the reason that we’ve gotten as far as we have,” Nancy said frankly. “Sometimes, it’s been the only thing tying us together. We’d have a blow-up, not really resolve anything, and then try to fuck away our problems.” 

Ned nodded, the hint of a grin on his lips. “Not that it wasn’t fun, but… yeah. Sex? Always great between us, no matter what. Communication? Not so much.”

“So, let’s change that,” she told him. “Right now. Let’s keep hashing it out, get it all out into the open. Because otherwise, this will keep festering and get worse – we have to give it a chance to heal, or there really won’t be any way to recover.” 

Ned sat down in the chair across from hers. “Okay, fine. The fact that we like each other and love each other - is that enough?” he asked harshly. “Is that enough to make you want to stay with me? For you to make a sacrifice for the sake of your husband’s happiness?

“I always feel like I’m the one who has to bend and give in, Nan,” he continued, standing up and starting to pace their kitchen.  “You know what? I’m fucking **_sick of it_**. I love my job. **_Love it_.** And I’m fucking good at it. For years, I’ve watched you shine and thrive doing something you love – and I’ve been so proud of you, you know that. But when does it get to be my turn?” 

Ned sat down again. “You know that I love you more than anything and that I’d give my life for you – I mean, hell, I just proved it yet again, didn’t I?  But don’t ask me to have to choose between you or my job. Because you know damn well what my answer would be, and I’d always be pissed that you even made me choose at all.”

“That’s the thing, Ned!” Nancy cried. “I _don’t_ know what your answer would be. Six months ago, a year ago, I would’ve known exactly what you’d say. But now? I feel like I don’t even know you any more, and you don’t know me. Do you know how that makes me feel?”

“I know exactly, because it makes me feel the same way,” he countered, but there was no heat in it. “We’re strangers whose lives intersect every once in a while. It’s no way to hold a marriage together, Nancy.”

She nodded, playing with the paper wrapper around the top of her water bottle. “So, you don’t want to move back here.” 

“Everything’s open and on the table, right?” When she nodded again, Ned continued. “I don’t, and I won’t,” he stated frankly. “My job in L.A. makes me unbelievably happy. When I think of all of those times when I see your face light up when you talked about your job, I’d always think, ‘ _When will that happen to me? Will I ever find something that I love to do the way Nancy has?_ ’ Well, now I have. 

“My career makes me so happy, makes me feel so fulfilled, Nan. The only thing that doesn’t make me happy? The fact that you didn’t offer to leave here and come to L.A. to be with me.” He sat back in his chair, arms folded. 

“Ned, I come out there when I can, I even stayed with you for those two weeks…” Her voice trailed off as she began tearing strips of the label off her bottle. 

“No, I’m not talking about your visits, Nan. I’m talking about you coming to live with me. Permanently. I’ve asked you - _begged you_ \- to come out. Not once did you say, ‘Ned, I can’t live without you, so I’m going to quit my job and find a new one in California so we can live there together.’ 

“No. Instead it was, ‘ _Oh, I’ll come out and visit, and we can meet at home in River Heights on weekends._..’ Not once did you offer to make a sacrifice for me, for our marriage. And every time I mentioned it, you tried to change the subject! I asked you to consider it when you came out the last time, but you didn’t even open your mind to the possibility – you think I couldn’t tell?” She looked away, embarrassed. 

“Like I said, I’m always the one who has to give in, to do whatever it is that works for you and makes you happy. And I have to say, I resent it. Always have – ever since we started dating, I was always the one who had to compromise so you could get what you wanted. And I’m tired of it – I don’t want to do it anymore. Once, just _once_ , I want you to be the one to give in.”

Nancy was stunned into silence. “I knew you were angry, but I didn’t know just how much,” she admitted, twisting a strip of the label around her finger. 

“Because it felt like you weren’t committed to our marriage, Nancy. The fact that you could just let me move out and live two thousand miles away from you without even considering the idea of joining me? It hurt – a lot. It also felt like you didn’t give a shit about my feelings, or my happiness. Does it not matter to you that I am this happy with my job?”

“Of course it does, Ned!” she cried out. “I love you so much, and I am so damn proud of you. I’m proud of the man you are, of the way you’ve had such incredible success at your career, how much it matters for you to succeed… The fact that you’ve been so incredibly happy was the reason that I didn’t stop you from going!”

“You wanted me to not take the job?” he asked, incredulous.

“I didn’t want you to take the job and leave me,” she admitted. “But I knew that I couldn’t tell you that, because it would be selfish to hold you back – you’d only just hate me and resent me. Looks like that really worked out for me, now didn’t it?” She laughed, but it was a bitter sound.   

“When I’d go visit you in California? I loved spending time with you, but I hated being there, Ned. Because you were so happy, building your career, making new friends, establishing a new life… I was terrified that one day, you’d turn around and realize that you’d outgrown me. I was just your high school sweetheart – how could I possibly hold a candle to the gorgeous, glamorous, sexy women you’d meet out there? And, God, everything with me is so complicated…It would be so much easier if you were with a normal woman, not someone who’s such a pain in the ass…

“It got even worse for me when you got an apartment instead of living in the hotel – that really freaked me out. Because it was one more way that you were becoming this new person with this new life, one without me. Then I’d get angry at myself because I felt selfish – after all, you were so happy…How could I tell you how I felt? But then I felt worse because you were happy _without me_ … And you were buying all of this fancy stuff, and you weren’t telling me every little thing about your day – it was like you were a different person, someone I didn’t recognize, and it scared me so much!

“Honestly, that’s why I’ve done all of that crazy sex stuff with you over the last several months - not that we didn’t do crazy stuff before, but… Since that was the only way we were still connecting, I wanted it use it to make sure you remembered what we have together.”

“Nan… Nancy…” He reached across the table and took her hand in his. “That’s the problem. You needed to tell me – I’m not a mind reader, baby. First of all… Those other women?  None of them could ever hold a candle to you, and that’s the real reason I could never cheat on you. None of them would be worth throwing away what I have with you – I swear it, baby. And that’s exactly what I told Carly the last time she hit on me – I swear. 

“The work stuff? I wanted to tell you everything – I would have my hand on my phone a million times a day to tell you about meeting some celebrity, or something funny that happened in the office. But every time I did share that kind of stuff with you, you’d shut down or get quiet, like you didn’t want to hear it. In light of everything you just told me, I guess you didn’t.”

“I did!” she protested, but it sounded weak, even to her ears. “I always wanted to hear about what your life was like because it made me feel like things were the way the used to be, like I was still a part of your world. But at the same time, it made me sad because it felt like you were moving on without me.” 

Ned shook his head. “As for the idea of me outgrowing you? _Never_ , Nancy. It could never happen. I still find you the smartest, sweetest, kindest, funniest, sexiest, most gorgeous woman I’ve ever known – I could never outgrow you or what I feel for you. Ever. I love you so much, baby, and I’ll never outgrow it. You’re _my_ pain in the ass – and I’d be lost without you.”  She managed a watery laugh at that. 

He got up from his chair and moved to the one next to hers, pulling her into his arms. Nancy rested her head against his chest, heaving a huge sigh. The feel of his arms around her, one hand stroking her hair, helped to dissolve the lump of tension she had felt building in her chest.  

“So, what do we do now?” she asked softly. 

Nancy felt him shrug against her. “I don’t know, Nan. We’re still at an impasse. I don’t want to leave L.A., and you don’t want to leave Illinois. But we can’t keep doing this. Our marriage will not survive it. I think we both know that.”

Nancy nodded, enjoying the softness of his cotton shirt under her raw cheek before pulling away. She clasped both of his hands in hers and took a deep breath before replying. “Then I don’t think I have a choice.”

Ned had a wary look in his eyes. “You don’t?” 

“Nope. I’ll call a real estate agent on Monday, and see about putting this place up for sale. And we'll figure out where we’re going to live in California. That apartment is too damn small, and I want a place that we’ve both picked out. I’ll give my notice at my agency, and put out my feelers for jobs in the L.A. area.” Ned’s face glowed with a combination of joy and astonishment. 

“Because _I can’t_ live without you, Ned, and I need you to know that you are way more important to me than my career. You will always be my top priority. Whatever else happens between us, I need you to know that,” she told him in a low voice. 

Ned brought their linked hands up to his lips and brushed them against her fingers. “Baby…”

“But I can throw out one stipulation?” she added hastily. He nodded. “Let’s make this a trial period, okay? Because this will be a lot for me to get used to, and I think you know that. I love this house, and it’s gonna be really hard for me to be away from Dad and Hannah, Bess and George, and I love my job… It’s a lot,” she repeated. 

“I know, baby, and I appreciate it. I do.”

“If we try it for like six, eight months and I’m still not happy, I want us to be able to re-evaluate our arrangement, okay? Is that fair? After all, it’s the same provision we set up when you went out to California.”

“Definitely,” he told her, a wide grin breaking out across his face. “I want you to be happy, too, baby. We can get a nice house, especially with that raise and bonus I’m getting – maybe even something near the ocean! No more snow and tough winters – just warm weather, all year long. You can wear your little dresses and bikinis, no winter coat needed! Once you get used to being out there, you’ll really love it, I know you will.”

Nancy was slightly dismayed at his words, afraid that he wasn’t paying attention to the fact that she was considering this a temporary trial period. However, he was so thrilled that she didn’t want to risk breaking the peace. 

“Well, I’ll love being with you all of the time,” she told him truthfully. “The thought of seeing your handsome face every day again – and every night - makes me _very_ happy.”

“Ooh, every night – I like the sound of that, gorgeous.”  Ned ran his hand teasingly over her jean-clad thigh. 

“Yeah, you’ll be sick of me before long,” she playfully scoffed. 

“I doubt it,” he teased. “The idea of being able to touch you and have sex with you every day, like we used to? Mmmm….Your pussy will be worn out after the first week, baby.”

Nancy giggled, despite herself. “Let’s test it out, honey.” 

His expression sobered. “Baby, this means so much to me. I just wanted to feel like I was important to you.”

“And I’m sorry you didn’t realize that you are, Nickerson. I never want you to doubt it. Because I love you. I love you more than anything – more than my job, and you know that’s saying something,” she joked, giving a watery chuckle. 

“I love you, too, Nan. And _I’m_ sorry that I made you feel alienated. The life I’ve been building out there, the stuff I’ve been buying? It was for you, baby! Like I told you before, I just want to be able to give you everything and make sure you have the best, and that you know you made the right choice when you decided to marry me.”

“Well, I’ve never doubted my decision for a second, sweetheart. But I told you, I don’t care about that stuff,” she said gently. “I loved you when you drove that shitty old green Chevy when we were in high school; you think that it matters to me if we have a Mercedes now?

“I also want to make something else clear, Ned. There is absolutely nothing going on between Frank Hardy and I, there never was, and there never will be.”

“Nan, I…”

“No, let me finish,” she told him firmly. “The only thing that came out of spending all of that time with Frank Hardy was me wanting you, missing you - even more than I already did. You are the one I thought of every single night. Do I think he’s still attracted to me? Yes, as he made abundantly clear when he crossed the line that night. Did I do anything to encourage him or make him think he had a shot? **_No_**. You are the only man I want. Now and forever. So you need to let go of this jealously shit once and for all.” 

“Right back at you, Nan,” Ned challenged. 

She nodded. “I promise to work on that. It’s not going to be easy, but I’ll try.”

“Same here,” he swore. “Really. You can’t help it if other guys notice how incredibly gorgeous you are, and I know that you love me.”

“I’ll say the same words I said to you in front of the minister – I do.” 

Ned smiled at that. “And I’ll call you a million times a day and tell you every little thing that happens to me. How I hated the coffee that Heather made that morning, how someone on my team did something to piss me off, the funny thing that someone else said during a meeting…”

“Okay, you don’t have to call me a million times a day,” she teased, chuckling. “I’ll take once, then a full report when you come back home to me.”

“Deal,” he told her solemnly. “And I’ll be more patient and understanding about whatever job you take in L.A.  It’ll probably involve guns and punching and a high likelihood of you getting injured, but I’ll try not to give you shit about it. You have to know that I only do it ‘cause I worry that someone’ll harm my precious, one-of-a kind Nancy. Maybe I can find a support group – spouses of investigators, or something. It’s L.A. – there’s a support group for everything out there.” Nancy chuckled again, and Ned crooked up his mouth in a smile. 

“And, I promise to work harder at letting you in more. Really, the only reason I left without calling was because I didn’t want them to make good on their threats. But I understand how frightened you must have been, and I’m so sorry, baby. I’m sorry,” she repeated simply. 

“I know, and I understand why you did it and why you left that note, but still…Sweetheart, I went crazy with panic when I realized that you could be anywhere, with anyone, hurt or worse…" As he remembered his fears, his face darkened. 

“We’ll just do a better job of creating a code so you can know where I am, okay?”  

He nodded. “And the transmitter?”

“As soon as I’m healed, I’ll find out about getting one. I’ll make sure they put it in a place where you can’t slam into it or bite it while we’re having sex. Although, I have no idea where that would be…” They both laughed at that. 

“We’ll have to spend a lot of time figuring it out,” he told her solemnly. 

“Now, the most important thing…. We’re a team, and I need to remember that more often,” Nancy acknowledged, taking a deep breath. “I need to tell you how I feel, just like you need to tell me. No more hiding and letting things simmer until they explode.”

Ned nodded again. “Deal. We both definitely need to work on that. If we had just talked through some of the stuff that happened as it came up, really talked it through, then this fight wouldn’t have been quite so bad.”

 “Exactly. And I need to be willing to give in more – you said that things usually go the way I want them to, and you’re right, Ned. I usually do get my way, and I don’t always consider that it’s not always fair to you. I promise to take your point of view into consideration and yield sometimes.”

“Thank you,” he said gravely. “That’s all I wanted. I’m not saying that I plan on taking charge of every decision and every issue, but I just want to feel like I’m an equal partner in this relationship.”

“I understand, and I’m sorry that you didn’t feel like you were –like I didn’t make you feel like you were,” she amended.  “So, why don’t we spend this weekend talking about what the move to California will mean and start planning it out – we can look at places online so we can narrow down the area where we want to live, I can write my letter of resignation for my boss... 

“Unless,” she added hastily, “you have to go back to L.A. now and talk to Lyndsey? I’m sorry about that, too, by the way. I never meant for my job to interfere with yours – I can talk to her and explain, if you want?”

Ned laughed. “Nah, it won’t seem very manly if I have my wife call in my excuse about why I couldn’t come to work. I’ll call her a little later and talk to her. She’s probably not happy, but I think it’ll be okay. I’ll promise to come in first thing Monday morning, so I’ll fly back tomorrow night.”

“When you just said that, I got sad for a minute,” she admitted. “But then I remembered that we won’t be apart much longer.” She gave him a tender smile. 

Ned returned it. “That’s right, baby. So, are we okay?”

Nancy nodded slowly. “I think so. I love you, and I’m sorry for everything.”

He leaned forward to place a gentle kiss on her lips. “I love you, and I’m sorry for everything,” he repeated back to her before kissing her again.  

She returned the kiss and deepened it. “I’m tired and starving and everything hurts, but I would really love for us to go upstairs, get into our bed, and make love.”

Ned smiled against her lips. “I hate to say no to that, but I think you need a lot more rest before that can happen, sweetheart. Tell you what – I’ll make breakfast, then carry you upstairs so you can get some sleep. Then we can see what you’re up for later, okay?”

Nancy nodded again. “That sounds really good, but only if you lie next to me.  And speaking of us in our bed… I have to tell you that it hurt me very badly when you wouldn’t sleep next to me last night.” 

“I know, and I’m sorry about that, too,” he told her. “We were both so mad at each other that I just thought it was best that we have some distance.”

“But distance was our problem to start with,” she reminded him gently. 

“I know,” he repeated.  “So let’s agree not to do that again – no matter how mad we get, we still talk it out before we go to sleep and we sleep next to each other when we’re in the same place.”

“Definitely.”

\--

Nancy awoke several hours later, feeling much better. While she was still incredibly sore and weary, the nap had done wonders for her, as had another dose of her medication. When she was ready to get up, Ned helped her to shower and dress in a tank top and loose-fitting cotton pants – she knew she had to look really bad when he washed her without making an attempt to cop a feel or pin her up against the shower wall with his own body. 

After her wounds had been re-bandaged, Ned carried her downstairs and gently placed her on the sofa. 

“So, why don’t we order in a pizza for dinner and watch a movie?” he suggested, settling down next to her. 

“I’d like to go out a little and get some air,” she proposed tentatively. 

Ned gave her a doubtful look. “Baby, no offense - you know I think you always look gorgeous, but tonight… Well, you look like someone just beat the shit out of you. Sorry.  I don’t think you’re quite ready to be out in public again just yet, especially in the midst of our friends and neighbors.”

“Good point,” she conceded. “It’s just that it’s a beautiful night, and may be one of the last nights we spend together here, in our hometown…” Her lips involuntarily turned downwards.

“Okay, okay, you got me,” Ned sighed. “I have an idea about how we can go out and spend time alone. Let me go get my keys.”

\--

Nancy smiled when Ned pulled the car into a patch of dirt by the Muskoka River. “This is perfect, baby!” she beamed, turning to plant a quick kiss on his lips. “We haven’t been here in ages!”

He kissed her back before getting out of the car and helping her to a bench that overlooked the river. “Stay here and I’ll get the food,” he told her. 

Ned returned a few minutes later, pizza box in his hands and a 2-liter bottle of Coke under his arm. He settled beside her on the bench and pulled out a slice, placing it on a paper plate before handing it to her. Ned took his own slice before closing the box and placing it next to him; the bottle was stashed on the ground between them. 

“This was a great idea, Ned,” she told him, munching on her pizza. “It reminds me of when we were kids. Remember how used to pick up a pie from Dino’s and take it back to my house so we could eat on the porch and have our privacy?”

“Privacy to make out,” Ned teased, raising his eyebrows lasciviously. He bit into his slice. 

“Well, even back then, you would do anything to get me alone,” Nancy teased back. She leaned down to open the bottle and took a long swallow of Coke. 

“That’s also why I used to bring you here,” he told her. “I felt such a sense of victory when you’d let me hold your hand as we walked along this path.” He gestured with his pizza to the paved trail in front of them. 

Nancy smiled at the memory – the first time they had walked here had been right after they’d started going out. Back then, the idea of holding his hand had thrilled and excited her. _Funny, even after all of this time and all of the other crazy stuff we do with each other now, it still brings out that same reaction in me_ , she thought affectionately. 

“This is also where you proposed to me the first time, if I remember correctly,” she replied, playfully poking him in the ribs. 

“Yeah, well…I just jumped the gun a little,” Ned grinned sheepishly. “The sentiment behind it was genuine, though.”  He leaned over and kissed her. 

Nancy savored the taste of tomato sauce on his lips. “God, I can’t believe how much simpler things were then,” she sighed. 

“What are you talking about?” he chuckled. “’Simple’ is not a word I’d use to describe our relationship, Nan, now or ever.”

“Yeah, but it didn’t feel like we had this much at stake back then,” she said sadly. “We were just a couple of dumb kids who didn’t quite get that what we found with each other was this rare, amazingly beautiful thing. It’s taken a lot for us to get here, Ned.”

Ned reached for her hand and brushed his lips over her knuckles before releasing it. “But it’s been worth it, baby – all of the difficulty, all of the arguments, all of the heartache… It’s been worth it, because I’ve been able to share my life with you. I wouldn’t change one damn thing, sweetheart. Except the part about you getting beaten up,” he shrugged, the corners of his mouth turning upwards in a quick grin. “Seriously, though – the best part of my life has been the time I’ve spent with you.”

Nancy impatiently wiped away the tears that were beginning to slide down her face. “I love you so much,” she whispered. “When I thought that there was a possibility of losing you, really losing you for good…It terrified me, Ned. People tell me how smart and clever I am, but by far the smartest thing I’ve ever done in my life was to say yes when you proposed to me for real. 

“Sometimes it’s hard – harder than either of us ever thought it would be, probably – but I wouldn’t trade what we’ve built together for anything in the world. I can’t wait for us to live in the same house again and share our lives again – it’s like half of me has been missing, you know?”

Ned nodded. “I do know, because I’ve felt the same way.” He leaned in and kissed her, gently at first, but then deepened it. “I love you, baby,” he murmured against her lips.

“I love you, too,” she whispered back. 

He broke away, and Nancy could see the reluctance in his eyes. “Let me finish my pizza so I can have more energy to kiss you afterwards,” he told her, lightly tapping his finger against her nose. 

Nancy giggled. “Again, you sound exactly like you did when we were kids.” She reached down to grab the Coke bottle and took a slug before handing it to him. 

“Yeah, I remember doing a little more than just holding your hand here,” he joked, taking his own swallow of soda. 

“Well, not when we first started dating, but I definitely remember some fun makeout sessions on this very bench. And in the backseat of your car in the very parking spot where our car is sitting right now.” Nancy took another bite of pizza after giving him a mischievous grin. 

“God, that was fun,” he smiled at the memory. “I would love when we’d come here and find it as deserted as it is tonight – by the way, have kids today gotten lazy? It’s a beautiful night with a star-filled sky – why aren’t they out here, hooking up?”

“Because things are much freer and easier than when we were kids?” Nancy suggested, finishing her slice. Her pizza was now cold, but they were having such a nice time that she didn’t care. “Girls today get permission to have boys in their rooms, even when their parents are home. And they can sext and send each other dirty pictures…We had to be resourceful to fool around.”

“Good point,” Ned told her as he reached into the pizza box and offered her another piece. 

They finished their dinner in companionable silence, passing the soda bottle back and forth. When they finished, Ned rose to throw away their trash, then joined her again on the bench. He slipped an arm around her and Nancy dropped her head onto one of his shoulders, enjoying the cool night breeze and the way the moonlight glistened on the river. 

“I’m going to miss this,” she said quietly, breaking the silence. 

“Hmmm?”

“Being able to come to places like this – the same places we’ve been coming to since we’ve been kids. It’s our history, Ned.” Nancy couldn’t prevent a note of sadness from creeping into her voice. 

“I know – makes me sad, too,” he admitted. “But we can build new memories in California – we’ll be together, and that’s all that matters.”

She nodded against his shoulder. “I know, and I agree, but still… I see that tree over there and I remember the picnics we had underneath it during the summers when we were in high school. I think of Dino’s and remember the thousands of times we stopped there on our way to and from the movies. Everything here has contributed to the story of us.” 

“Soon we’ll have that in California, too. We’ve found a great beach spot, a romantic restaurant near the ocean… those will all become part of our story, too, sweetheart,” Ned reminded her patiently. “Sometimes things need to change. But we’ll be changing together.”

Nancy lifted her head to kiss him. “Then let’s make out on this bench one last time.” She slipped her tongue between his lips and ran her fingers through his dark hair. 

Ned’s tongue slid over hers, slowly at first, then became more demanding. Soon they were kissing deeply, passionately. Forgetting where they were, Nancy took one of his hands and led it to cup her breast through her tank top.  He brushed his thumb against the nipple, making a sound of satisfaction when he found it already hard. 

Nancy shifted so that she was sitting draped across his lap. Ned moved his free hand to cup her other breast as he continued to kiss her. She could feel his erection growing underneath her ass; if she didn’t think it would hurt like hell, she would throw her legs around his waist and straddle him. 

Now one of his hands snuck under her shirt to make contact with her breasts, loose beneath her tank top. The warmth of his large hand felt so good that she sighed with pleasure. She nipped at his lower lip as he began to inch her shirt up; only the thought of being caught fucking in public for a second time made her place her hand over his. 

“Baby, we can’t,” she whispered. “I don’t think either of us would enjoy being busted for public nudity and/or indecency by the River Heights P.D. – especially when I know most of the force.”

Ned sighed, but didn’t remove his hand. “Yeah, true - can you imagine having to face Chief McGinnis and explaining it to him?”

“No, I don’t want to. Not to mention the fact that it’s highly likely my father would find out about it.”

At that, Ned froze completely and withdrew his hand from under her top. “And that’s that.”

“Well, we don’t have to wait until we get home,” she told him, a wicked gleam in her eye.

“Yeah? Well, if we can’t do it here, then what do you suggest?”

She brushed her lips against his. “You, me, backseat?”

Ned chuckled. “I like the way you think, but I can’t imagine we’d be able to without me hurting you.” He gently traced a thumb against her bruised cheekbone and placed his other palm flat against her sore abdomen.

“We could at least try it… If it hurts or I’m uncomfortable, then we’ll just stop.”

“And the fear of being caught?”

“Well, like you said, it is pretty deserted around here tonight. So, what do you think, Nickerson?”

Ned reached around to stroke her ass through the thin cotton of her pants. “I think I’d like to fuck in our backseat.” 

Nancy squealed with delight when he suddenly stood, cupping her in his arms as he hurried back to the car.  

“Reach into my front pocket and grab my keys, baby?” 

She dipped her hand into his jeans’ pocket, teasingly stroking his cock through his boxers. Ned made a sound of pleasure at the feel of her hand on him. 

“Not my keys, but feel free to continue," he told her, smirking. 

Nancy made a few more exaggerated attempts to stroke him before fishing out his keys and clicking on the button to unlock the doors. Ned opened the back passenger door and gently settled her on the seat. 

Nancy was puzzled when he backed out of the car. “Where are you going?”

Ned opened the driver’s side door and stuck the key in the ignition, and Nancy began to smile when she watched him open the sunroof and the back windows. He hopped out of the driver’s seat and made a quick detour to pull a blanket out of the trunk before joining her in the backseat. 

“Like I said, it’s a beautiful, clear night. Even if we can’t actually do this outside, I kind of like the idea of making love to my wife under the stars.”  Nancy lifted her rear to allow him to spread the blanket over the bench seat.

“You’re so sweet and romantic,” Nancy sighed, tugging at the collar of his shirt to bring him closer. She gave him a tender kiss, enjoying the feel of the breeze fluttering at her hair. 

“That’s because I love you, Nancy,” he told her, kissing her back. 

She sighed contentedly. “I love you too, Ned.” 

“So, did you want to try it, or…”

She pulled her tank top over her head and tossed it to the car’s floor in one quick motion, her bare breasts gleaming in the moonlight coming in from the sunroof and a wicked gleam in her eye.  “Help me out of these,” she plucked at her pants, “and my thong, and fuck me, Nickerson.” 

Reaching over, he slid his hands under the waistband of her pants and pushed them down, doing the same with her thong. His shirt followed hers onto the floor; after he unzipped his jeans, he slid them to his ankles along with his boxers.

He gently eased her onto her back and settled his body over hers, careful to keep all of his weight on his knees and forearms. Nancy angled her knees so that he wouldn’t be too crunched up in the slightly cramped backseat.  Even so, he still looked uncomfortable. 

“I forget how we used to do this back in the day - and to think, our cars were even smaller back then,” Ned mused.

“Back then, we weren’t having sex – we were just kissing and doing a little petting,” Nancy pointed out. “Plus, I was able to straddle you if I had to.”

 “True,” he conceded. “Think you could do that now?”

She shook her head ruefully. “Sorry, baby – my shins are all banged up, so I can’t kneel over you.”

“That’s okay – we’re both smart and resourceful.” Ned flashed her a teasing grin. “Maybe if you shift all the way back so that your head is against the other door? Unless that would hurt your scalp?” he added hurriedly.

Nancy followed his suggestion. “Okay - better for you to stretch out now?”

He nodded, starting to kiss her again. Sighing with pleasure, she gently traced her fingertips over his bare back in slow strokes. Her sighs got louder as he dipped one finger between her thighs to gently tease her clit. 

“Mmm,” she moaned, wrapping her legs around his waist.  Nancy reached down to stroke his cock, which was now fully erect and pulsing in her hand. 

“God, how many times did I think about doing this when we came here as kids?” Ned asked her, ending his sentence in a low hiss when her thumb glanced the tip of his erection. 

Nancy smiled. “Every time?”

“Damn right, baby,” he told her, easing two more fingers inside her.

Sliding her hand down to caress his balls, she teasingly bit down on his lower lip before capturing his mouth with hers. 

Their tongues tangled fiercely as they continued to touch each other. Nancy let out a cry of protest into his mouth when Ned slipped his now-wet fingers out of her, but it changed to a sound of pleasure when he used his fingertips to pluck at the firm pink tips of her breasts. 

She began using firmer strokes on him, and wrapped her legs tighter around him as he replaced his fingers on her breasts with his mouth. The breeze stirred up outside, and Nancy was struck by the contrast between the warmth of his body over hers and the cool night air coming in from the open windows. 

“I was nervous about being out in the open like this, but it feels so right,” she whispered, gasping when he flicked his tongue over her nipple. 

“Because it is,” he whispered back. “It’s the two of us together, expressing our love. Finally, after all of the times we used to come here to be alone, we can finally be together the way we want to without worrying or holding back. And you look as beautiful as you did when you were sixteen, Nan. Even more so, right now, in the moonlight.”

“And you’re just as handsome,” she told him truthfully, using her free hand to cup his cheek. 

Ned kissed her deeply again, and shifted his weight slightly so that his abdomen rested against hers.

“Good? Is this hurting you, sweetheart?” he asked anxiously. 

She shook her head vigorously. “No, we’re good. It would be better if you were inside me, though.”

Ned reached down and fitted his cock to her opening, Nancy wriggling her hips slightly so that he could go deeper. 

Nancy sighed contentedly as he began to stroke in and out of her in slowly, lazy movements. “God, this is a perfect end to today, especially considering how awful the day started out.”

“Sweetheart, when you used the word divorce earlier…” His voice strained with his next thrust.

She pressed her fingers against his lips to cut him off, her eyes welling with tears. “Please, don’t.” Her voice was raw with emotion. “If I could take that back, I would. I never meant it. _Never_.”

“I can’t believe I came so close to losing you,” he told her, and Nancy could detect the pain in his voice. “We can’t break up, baby – we just can’t.”

Nancy pushed a lock of dark hair off his forehead as he slipped back inside her. “We won’t,” she replied fiercely. “This is forever. Forever, Ned Nickerson – I mean it.”  She whimpered as he thumbed her clit. 

“Forever,” Ned echoed, thrusting even deeper. 

“I would follow you anywhere, and I am. It doesn’t matter where we are – as long as I’m with you, I’m home. If you wanted to go live on the moon, I’d get a spacesuit and join you up there.”

He chuckled, and it turned into a moan as she gripped his ass to pull him deeper inside her. “Our visit to the Kennedy Space Center was enough for me – no space travel in our future, baby.”

Her lips turned up in a grin. “Okay, good. So Los Angeles, it is – for now, anyway.” 

Ned increased the speed of his strokes as he continued to tease her clit. “I’m so glad you said yes, Nan. I can’t wait.”

Nancy didn’t respond; instead, she began to moan as he penetrated her deeper, her hips rising up to meet his. Her abdomen began to ache with the effort, but she was so close to her release that she ignored the pain. 

She fused her mouth to his so he couldn’t keep talking about California. Ned began to suck on the skin where her neck met her shoulder; by this point, his thrusts were frantic. Suddenly, the pressure broke and Nancy came with a loud, piercing cry.  Just as the pulsations between her thighs start to weaken, she felt him explode inside her, hot and sticky.  

Ned collapsed onto her before remembering her injuries. He quickly sat up, and fished in the compartment between the front seats to find some tissues. Once he wiped himself clean as best he could, he handed Nancy a fresh tissue and helped her to clean her inner thighs. She sighed as his hand moved over the hollow between her legs, the flesh there still hyper-sensitive. 

“You okay, baby? Did I hurt you?”

Nancy shook her head lazily and reached up to pat his cheek. She knew she should sit up and get dressed, but she was tired and weary; now that the high of her orgasm was bleeding off, the pain was also coming back in full force.  

“We should probably head back home, Nan – you look exhausted and I’m sure you’re way overdue for more pain meds. And, it’s a miracle we haven’t gotten caught here by some passing cop.” He reached out his hand to her. “Need help getting dressed? 

“Yes, please,” she sighed, reluctantly moving to a sitting position with his assistance. He gently re-dressed her, but it was still agony to move her arms and legs.  

When her clothes were back on, Ned kissed her slowly, sweetly. “Do you want to get in the front, or just stay here?”

“I want to join you in the front seat,” she insisted stubbornly, hobbling out of the car to move into the front passenger seat. “And I know we need to get back, but can we stop for ice cream first?”

“I won’t say no to that,” Ned told her, giving her a teasing smile after he settled into the driver’s seat. “We both worked up an appetite in that backseat, baby. Plus, it’s the perfect recap to our nostalgia tour tonight – ice cream at the same place where we used to stop after the movies or a good makeout session here at the river.”

After he had started the car, Nancy placed her hand over his on the gearshift. “It feels so weird to think that we won’t be living here soon, that we’ll only be coming back here to visit our parents.” She tried to keep her voice even. 

Ned backed out of the parking space and started to drive towards the road. “I know. But I can’t wait to just be with you all of the time. To come home and have dinner with you. To know for sure that we’ll be together on weekends. For us to be able to talk about what happened to us at work. 

“To go to the movies on a Tuesday night and make out in the back row – or have sex in it again,” he continued, a mischievous look on his face as he gave her a quick glance before training his eyes back on the road. “I want us to be a normal married couple again – no angst, no drama. Where the only fights we have are about normal shit like taking out the trash or doing the laundry.”

“Which I’m gonna make you do again once we’re both living under the same roof," she reminded him playfully. 

“And we’ll fight about it again,” he responded teasingly. “But it’ll feel normal again. I’ve missed that, Nan.”

“So have I," she admitted, stroking the back of his hand. _His crazy schedule at work and whatever job I take out there will still prevent us from doing the things he just talked about,_ Nancy thought to herself, but she kept silent. 

“It’ll be like a fresh start. Something we could definitely use, baby.”

“A fresh start,” Nancy echoed, although she felt an incredible sadness at leaving their past behind. 

 _Well, this is what Ned wants, and you want him, so you’ll just need to adapt, that’s all there is to it_ , she told herself firmly. Besides, maybe he was right – maybe she would learn to love California. Although, the way she felt right now, she seriously doubted it _. Only time will tell_ , she thought. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're currently planning cycle 4. Thanks for reading, and hope you enjoyed it!


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